


Where the Goddess Dwells

by Osrio



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:29:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 66,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23470204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Osrio/pseuds/Osrio
Summary: If you've ever had to share your head with a goddess, you're either Byleth Eisner,Or you're me.Or; why having Sothis inside your head instead of the main character leads to nothing but misery and trauma.
Comments: 41
Kudos: 196





	1. Awakening

Something was wrong.  
  
At least, that was what my brain was telling me as I attempted to lift myself from my bed. Except I wasn’t in a bed, I was on the ground. I groggily opened my eyes, trying to let my eyes adjust to the light, but I found none. All that greeted my vision was the uncaring silence of the void.  
  
Well, perhaps calling it a void was a bit much, there _was_ a floor! Perhaps not the greatest victory that could be afforded to me, sure, but it was a victory nonetheless.  
  
I slowly find my balance and attempt to stand straight. My knees are shaking, like they were at risk of breaking any second were I to move just the wrong way. Even just one singular step felt like it took a Herculean effort.  
  
“Um, hello? Anyone here? Death? God?” I called out. Of course silence is all that greeted me, not that I was surprised. Frankly I wasn’t expecting anyone to answer back here, I just figured I’d try something.  
  
If this was supposed to be Hell or Purgatory, then consider me disappointed, definitely giving this place two thumbs down.  
  
I try walking forward for a bit, but the road seems to have no end. It just… it stretched for miles and miles, unending. I couldn’t even see a horizon.  
  
“Ugh… seriously, is ANYONE here?!” I shout in frustration. To my surprise, a voice begins to ring out across the infinite void, a female one.  
  
“Mmmnn… must you insist on shouting? It is quite rude to interrupt a moment of repose, very rude indeed,” the voice groggily said. Before I have a chance to speak, a bright light appears before me, engulfing my vision, so I’m forced to use an arm to shield myself from the blinding light.  
  
As the light began to die down, I lowered my arm slowly. The road now certainly did have an ending, a small set of stairs that led to a throne, and on this throne sat a woman. A… very beautiful one at that.  
  
She was slim, yet curvaceous. Her long green hair flowed freely towards the back, contrasting her neatly combed bangs and top. Upon her head laid a mixture of flowers and a… crown? Tiara? I couldn’t quite tell. My eyes were then drawn to her clothing. Her white cloak was accompanied with a blue robe with golden accents. And those ears… were they pointy, elf-like ears? They certainly looked the part.  
  
Wait… blue robe, golden accents. Where have I seen that before?  
  
The woman before me sighed. “Has anyone told you that it is also rude to stare without a word?”  
  
I couldn’t help but rub the back of my neck in embarrassment. “O-Oh um, sorry.” Jesus I could practically feel my ears turning red.  
  
The woman simply sighed and shook her head. “No matter. Now come closer, I wish to take a closer look at you.”  
  
I nodded, moving towards her before I stumbled to the ground like an imbecile. Right, shaky knees, forgot about that part. The woman before me tried and failed to stifle a chuckle, smiling as I picked myself back up.  
  
“My, aren’t we the clumsy child~?”  
  
I grit my teeth and shot her a dirty look.  
  
“Don’t give me that, you try waking up in the cold unfeeling void instead of your warm soft bed and try to walk.”  
  
“If you have time to complain then you have time to walk, child.”  
  
Again with the child thing? Jesus who was this woman, my mom? I sighed and continued walking until I was at the foot of the set of stairs. The woman leaned forward, her emerald eyes squinted as she looked over me from head to toe.  
  
“You... You are a human, are you not? You certainly don’t look like any of my children,” she said, leaning back into her throne. Looks like the mom comment from earlier was a bit more on the nose than I realized.  
  
“Well I don’t look like a ghost or some kind of freakish mutant, do I?” I ask, folding my arms.  
  
The woman shook her head. “Hardly. And if you are human, you must have a name, correct? Go on, tell me!” she demanded with a tone of voice that would fit a child better than a grown woman like herself.  
  
“It’s Cole,” I said, shrugging all the while. “Cole Derrick.”  
  
The woman nodded. “Cole… Dare-rick? Hmm, quite unfamiliar to what I am used to hearing from humans. Then again, I suppose I shall never grow fully accustomed to the sounds of human names,” she said, her right ring finger on her cheek in thought.  
  
There was that sense of deja vu again… I swear it was on the tip of my tongue, but my mind was still somewhat cloudy, probably the whole “stuck in the uncaring void” thing not helping my cognitive functions in any shape.  
  
“Well no matter,” she began, clapping her hands together. “Now you have my full curiosity. On which moon and day were you born, child?”  
  
Now she wants my birthday? What did she want next, my social security number? My address? Still though, I was trapped in some kind of purgatory with only this strange elf-lady for company, might as well shoot the shit.  
  
“I was born on the 19th of December.”  
  
The woman tilted her head in confusion, a visible questioning look on her face. The heck did I do now?  
  
“Dee...cemember? Under which moon does that fall under?” she asked, like the word “December” was foreign to her. Okay, what was up with this chick? She looked like she was fresh off a Lord of the Rings set, she couldn’t pronounce December or my last name. And now we were talking about moons?!  
  
Okay, maybe I could try and narrow it down?  
  
“It’s uh... it’s two days before the winter solstice,” I try to explain. I knew this because my family always did something special for the solstice, be it a movie or special dinner. It kinda doubled as my birthday celebration. We were a little odd for a Scottish-American family.  
  
“Ohhhhh!” Sothis exclaimed. “You refer to the Ethereal Moon! Why not just say so?”  
  
I was… oh god I was far too groggy for this woman’s BS. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Okay, you got your twenty questions, was there a point to all of this?”  
  
The woman huffed, turning her nose on me with a pout. “Rudeness will only serve to hinder you in the future child. Do well to remember this. And besides, that was far less than ‘twenty questions’ as you so put it,” she scolds me, treating me like I was a kid. Leave me with some dignity lady, I was twenty-two goddamn it.  
  
“Now then, as much as I would care to continue lecturing you on the finer points of talking to a lady… I’m feeling rather drowsy again… yes, perhaps another time child… I have… many more questions for later...” she yawned, her eyes beginning to blink and slowly close.  
  
For some reason… my own eyes were getting heavy too. Guess drowsiness really was contagious. I tried to keep my balance, but my body felt like several piles of bricks were being applied to each of my limbs. I managed to not fall hard onto the stone floor face first, but before my eyes closed, I could make out the woman’s bare feet, looking back up to her dress once more, and that hair…  
  
Suddenly at that moment, it hit me like a sack of bricks.  
  
“S-Sothis…?”  
  
And then all I knew was silence.  
  


* * *

  
I sit up in a frenzy, my heart threatening to push its way out of my body if it went any faster. I close my eyes, keeping a hand to my chest and taking deep breaths.  
  
In and out.  
  
In and out.  
  
First things first, that was Sothis from Fire Emblem. At least, I think that was Sothis. Pretty sure she was supposed to be like a loli or something, but that Sothis was a fully grown woman, no two ways about it. Ignoring that for a second; how was I even talking to her? Was it a dream? No… no I felt too much for that to have been just a dream. Every time I tripped or stumbled felt very much real.  
  
But Sothis appeared in Byleth's head because they had Sothis’ crest stone inside of them, yeah?  
  
So why the hell could some random schmuck like me talk to the literal mother of Fodlan?  
  
Evidently, I didn’t even have time to think of that. As my vision came into focus, it was now just dawning on me that I was in a tent for one, in clothes that were definitely NOT mine when I fell asleep. If I was talking to Sothis… then that meant…  
  
Oh sweet fucking Ganesha, please tell me this wasn’t happening.  
  
After scrambling to make sure I was fully clothed, and mercifully I was, I crawled out of my tent in a hurry, just to check where in the hell I was.  
  
Dirt and leaves greated my person, as did the forest surrounding me. Or rather us, as I was most definitely not alone. Greeting my sight were two armored soldiers, patrolling the surrounding area and just passing my tent. A campfire was currently lit right in the center, currently being occupied by three people. A tall young man with short blonde hair with a short blue cape, a young woman with snow white hair and a red cape and finally a tanned, dark haired young man with a yellow cape.  
  
I blink.  
  
Dimitri, Edelgard and Claude respectively.  
  
I really was in Fire Emblem Three Houses.  
  
Before I began completely panicking, I looked down to check my clothing, and this was indeed the standard clothing for students in the Officer’s Academy. Given the lack of body fat, my lack of glasses and my considerably shorter hair, I had to assume that this body I was in was the body of a student of Garreg Mach.  
  
Which… means I basically body-jacked someone, most likely erasing whoever they might’ve been before I came along.  
  
Rhea would be so proud of me.  
  
Okay, stay calm Cole. Try to look as natural as you-  
  
“Ah, there you are. Finally awake, are we?” Edelgard calls out to me, turning around to face me. Claude and Dimitri proceed to take notice, each looking up and giving me a polite smile, though Dimitri’s seemed just a bit more genuine compared to Claude’s. A smile that didn’t reach his eyes indeed, way to be on the money Byleth.  
  
“S-Sorry… wasn’t quite feeling good from the trip. I hope I didn’t cause you all any trouble?” I ask with a hopeful tone. Don’t give them anything to suspect Cole, do not give them a damned thing.  
  
Dimitri shook his head. “Oh, there is no trouble… Alistair, yes? Our prospective professor was actually feeling fatigued himself. We’ve simply made camp to rest before we continue any further.”  
  
So Alistair was this guy’s name eh? Definitely sounds a bit cooler than just “Cole”. Shame I had to overwrite his entire personality and being though.  
  
Claude took amusement with Dimitri’s comment, resting his hands in a relaxed position behind his head. “Oh, ‘fatigued’ indeed Dimitri. I’m sure it was just that and not sitting around on his lazy butt while we do the hard work of putting up the tents and setting up the fire. At least Alistair here had an excuse, poor guy looked ready to keel over.”  
  
Wait a second, new professor? So the new “professor” that showed up before Byleth was still here. Which meant that this was still the Prologue.  
  
Good, this was… good I suppose. It means I didn’t start off so insanely far from canon and that I can actually work with things, regardless of my house. Plus I finally get to see how easily the academy lucked out with Byleth compared to this guy.  
  
...Wait a second, if this was the Prologue chapter, that meant the brigands under that Kostas guy weren’t far behind. Which meant running all the way to Remire.  
  
...Shit.  
  
“A hasty assumption, Claude. True, Professor Armas seems to lack much of the experience of Professors Hanneman or Manuela, but you might yet find yourself surprised,” Edelgard smiled, her arms folded as she turned to face the Master Schemer. Never one to be outdone in a debate so easily, Claude simply snickered as he faced Edelgard.  
  
“My my, how surprisingly generous you’re being toward our new professor, Edelgard. You wouldn’t be trying to tell yourself that would you? Perhaps to soften the blow for yourself on the chance that you’re stuck with him?”  
  
If looks could kill, then the glare that Edelgard shot at Claude would have been enough to kill him.  
  
Dimitri turned to face Claude with an exasperated sigh. “Come now Claude, show a little faith. Garreg Mach Academy is where the next generation of Fodlan’s best and brightest is to be nurtured. They would surely hire only the most reputable and professional of staff.”  
  
It took every bit of discipline in my body to not laugh at that statement as the images of Manuela downing an entire bottle of fine wine and Hanneman salivating over the idea of a new Crest.  
  
Personally, I would like to take a look at the Academy’s application process for staff, because it seemed pretty damned loose.  
  
“Well at any rate, care to take a seat with us, Alistair? We’re probably still gonna be waiting on the new professor for a bit anyway, might as well take the time and bend an ear while we wait, yeah?” Claude offered, gesturing to an untaken log. Certainly a lot better than just standing around looking like a fool. I opted to take him up on that offer, plopping down right onto the log and warming my bare hands by the fire between Claude and Dimitri.  
  
Dimitri offered me a polite handshake, to which I accepted. “Well then, now that’s all settled; Alistair, why not tell us some more about yourself? All I really know is that you will be joining the Black Eagles, and I doubt that alone is enough to carry a conversation, is it?”  
  
I froze at Dimitri’s request. Right, that’s the thing with these types of stories; how the hell do I just make up a backstory on the spot-?!  
  
In that moment, a wave of realization washed over me. Memories, though slightly fragmented. The Aegir duchy of the Empire, blacksmiths, dreams. Were these… Alistair’s memories? How the hell did-? No, no time for that. I could work out the logistics later, right now I had to look as natural as I possibly could.  
  
Okay, let’s start with hometown and birth.  
  
“Well, I was born a commoner in the Aegir region of the Empire,” I began, just now noticing how different my voice was. The moment I mentioned Aegir, I noticed Edelgard shift just slightly at the mere mention of the name “Aegir”. Frankly I couldn’t blame her at all, given Edelgard’s backstory and all. I pretended not to notice that and continued.  
  
“My family owns a blacksmithing business, and we put food on the table by selling our arms to nearly anyone who’ll buy. Militia, mercenaries, we’ve got a fairly decent life as a metalworks family.”  
  
“Pretty surprising,” Claude added, now having a more hunched sitting position. “Not many commoners in the Black Eagles, especially this year.”  
  
“It would seem your family has a rather comfortable life for common folk, so why choose to come to Garreg Mach? The life of a student of the Officer’s Academy is not what many would call peaceful,” said Dimitri, his fingers stroking his chin in thought. That was a damn good question actually.  
  
Boy howdy did I wish Alistair had the answers! I tried flipping through whatever fragmented or fractured memories Alistair had left, but I couldn’t quite make out a concrete reason for coming here. Which meant it fell to me to make one up on the spot.  
  
I sighed and put my hands in the pockets my pants had.  
  
“Honestly? I just wanted to see the world.”  
  
Claude seemed to take an interest at that comment, leaning forward to a more proper position as Edelgard raised an eyebrow.  
  
“See the world, you say?” she asked, looking right into my eyes.  
  
I nodded, allowing a brief smile on my face.  
  
“The world’s a lot bigger than just one village yeah? I personally wasn’t content with just sticking in one place, and honestly, Garreg Mach seemed like a great opportunity for that. I suppose you could say I just wanted more out of life,” I say, looking to all three lords. Seemed like all three understood where I was coming from, though Claude especially seemed to pay attention.  
  
“So you wished to expand your horizons, then? Certainly as valid a reason as any, though I do hope that wasn’t the only reason. After all, Garreg Mach is where generals, leaders and other such talent are forged Alistair. Perhaps you aim for greater heights in life?” Edelgard chuckled, while I fought down a chuckle of my own. Oh El, sweet dear El, I really wished I knew why in the most unholy of fucks fate thought it best to send me to a fictional plane of reality.  
  
Admittedly though, Edelgard had a point. Classes and sparring were far from the only things on a student’s plate at Garreg Mach. Can you spell ‘child soldiers’, kids?

“Well Lady Edelgard,” I began, trying to remember that right now I was from the Empire and had to show at least some respect towards the woman who would one day, technically, be my empress. “I suppose when one grows up watching your father crafting swords for a living, you eventually just get curious enough to start swinging I suppose.”  
  
Edelgard’s eyes lit up for just a second at that before nodding. “I see, so you’re a prospective swordsman. Intriguing. We have only one other sword user in our class at present. I imagine the two of you will be working well together.”  
  
She must have been talking about Petra then. Fast on her feet, though not quite fast enough to speak English… er, Fodlanese? Wait, speaking of Fodlan’s language, would I even be able to understand the language here?! If I couldn’t, that’d be really, REALLY fucking bad! Forget making it to the time skip, I wouldn’t even survive an exam!  
  
Suddenly the yawning and shuffling of leaves draws our attention to a person approaching us. A man, most likely in his mid 30’s, balding brown hair and an unkempt mustache cleared his throat and looked toward our little campfire group. His eyes clearly have indicated that he had just woken up from a nap.  
  
“I must sincerely apologize to you all for making you wait. Frankly I’m not sure what came over me, but I suppose I just required a small nap,” he said in a haughty, almost sarcastic tone as a content smile spread across his fat face.  
  
The way he talked… I dunno why, but it was pissing me off. Faux apologetic tones were just infuriating to me and it was clear that the other lords were thinking something of a similar note, even Dimitri looked to have his patience tested. No wonder Byleth replaced this buffoon.  
  
Dimitri was the first to speak up.  
  
“It is of no bother, Professor Armas. Now then, could you care to explain what exactly is the purpose of this exercise?” Dimitri asked as the other two lords and I rose from our makeshift seats.  
  
“Ah yes... about that,” Professor Armas began. “I was hoping to watch the four of you spar for a bit, to give me a good idea to gauge your abilities and talents.”  
  
Well, clearly whoever thought it was funny to put me into Fire Emblem thought it was a real riot to put me up against three people who have been trained to fight since they could speak. Me? I got into a street fight once, and I lost.  
  
Claude, for his part, sighed and leaned forward to my right ear. “And we couldn’t have just done this back at the Monastery... why?” He asked jokingly, to which I chuckled.  
  
Edelgard spoke up. “Professor, I am not opposed to a spar, though how do you wish to balance the teams? Two on two, a battle royale?”  
  
Edelgard's questions clearly were cutting through to Professor Armas, who it seems hadn’t quite thought through that little tidbit. “A-Ah yes… well my plan was… erm…” He stammered on, his face looking more like a Picaso than a human being, scrunching in thought, moving like his life depended on it.  
  
So he hiked us all the way out here to have us smack each other around? I could practically feel all four of us do a collective mental facepalm. Even Dimitri looked just a hint irritated. Where exactly did the Church find this clown, the bargain bin?  
  
Thankfully, with the mercy of a guardian angel, Claude came to the rescue with the brain cell I assume he had stolen from Professor Armas.  
  
“If I can offer up a suggestion, Teach, why don’t we just pair off and do a two on two spar? Edelgard and Alistair versus me and Dimitri. Sound fair?” he asked, that smile looking just a bit more forced than usual, as Professor Armas quickly regained his composure, or what little remained of it.  
  
“A-Ah yes! Of course! Thank you, Mr. von Riegan! Lady Edelgard, you and Alistair Boramas shall face Lords Dimitri and Claude. Grab a training weapon and begin at your leisure.”  
  
Huh, "Boramas". Sounded like a pretty cool surname. Cool sounding surnames, however, were not enough to stop me and Edelgard from letting out a sigh of annoyance. Professor Armas, it seemed, was simply one of those teachers who couldn’t be arsed to have an actual plan and simply left it up to the students to figure out whatever needed to be done.  
  
As me and Edelgard moved grabbed a wooden sword and wooden axe respectively from a nearby crate, I shook my head.  
  
“Ten gold says he’s the type of teacher who’s only in this for the pay and tenure,” I said, causing Edelgard to chuckle.  
  
“A bet you would win handily no doubt. Regardless of the professor’s ability, I look forward to gauging your skill as well as your future, Alistair.”  
  
Ah right. Here comes the part where I have to say something like; “Sorry El, but in the language that is war, I’m fucking illiterate.”  
  
Now granted, it wasn’t like I had no experience with swords. As odd as it sounded, my uncle, on my father’s side, actually taught me a fair bit over two summer vacations just so I could tell my folks that I hadn’t wasted my entire vacation playing video games. And at least I had an excuse for this, my uncle and biological father are Scots! Kilts sold separately.  
  
The problem here was that I had zero experience in fighting bow users, or lance users. Neither were something you saw every day in the modern era, and that wasn’t counting the fact that Claude and Dimitri respectively had already had plenty more training than I could over hope to achieve in two summers.  
  
“Look, Lady Edelgard? I won’t beat around the bush, I’m a total beginner when it comes to swords, I know the basics, sure, but my total experience amounts to a mere four months. So why agree to partner with me? All I’m gonna do is slow you down.”  
  
Edelgard took a moment to measure the weight of her training axe before turning to me.  
  
“Quite simple actually. As house leader, I am far more than just the face of the Black Eagles. House leaders assist their teachers in helping their peers develop their skills, to see where they are lacking. And it matters little how skilled you are or aren't Alistair, even the most seasoned of sword users have much to learn. Besides, four months is still far more experience than many can claim in a lifetime.” She said.  
  
Such simple advice, yet I found myself hanging off every word. Charismatic was certainly one way I could describe Edelgard, aside from charming, beautiful and other such positive adjectives. You know, aside from the eventual Fodlan War stuff.  
  
“Oh, and one more thing? Please, just call me Edelgard. We are ultimately both still students of the Officers Academy. The fact that I am the future emperor and you are a commoner should not matter during our studies,” she said, a bit too decisively to be just a request.  
  
I nodded, allowing a smile to form on my face. "Alright then, Edelgard."  
  
“Very good," she smiled back, flipping her hair back with her hand, as if to flaunt her grace. "Now then, let us both do our best to secure victory. I shall engage Dimitri, and you shall keep Claude busy. A fair stratagem, no?”  
  
Perfectly fine with me. El was the primary muscle here, no way I was gonna match Mr. Boar Prince over there, especially not in a one on one fight. Claude would still be a tricky opponent, but at least the most he could probably do was smack me with that bow of his, so long as I could clear the distance. If I could smack Claude into submission, that’d free me up to help Edelgard overwhelm Dimitri.  
  
Taking our positions, we readied ourselves. Dimitri held his staff with a grip of iron and Claude twirled a training arrow nonchalantly whilst Edelgard stood proud with her axe.  
  
Me? I was taking my deep breaths, trying to remember the basics of swordplay. I settled on a basic kendo like stance that my uncle called “long point guard”. I kept my right foot forward just a bit from my left, while keeping both legs at just the right distance. My flimsy wooden sword was certainly far from the dulled iron I was used to back home, but it would do.  
  
Hang on, when WERE those bandits gonna show themselves? I thought they appeared around the same time that we were resting in ca-  
  
“Oi lads! Look what we got here!”  
  
Me and my big mouth.  
  
Suddenly a gruff looking male broke through the treeline, followed by another and one by one we found ourselves face to face with a gang of what definitely looked to be brigands. And at the head of the pack was a man I believe the game had named “Kostas”? Honestly he was such small potatoes in the grand scheme of Three Houses that I didn't even know if that was his name.  
  
Kostas laughed as he walked forward, his axe resting on his shoulders. His intent was so obvious that even a snail could recognize the danger.  
  
“Well well, looks like we’ve got a gang of noble brats men! You know what we’re being paid for men! Kill em’ quickly though, I wanna be racking in that sweet gold as soon as possible!”  
  
Charming to say the least.  
  
I was already on my guard, though really I doubt our wooden training weapons were gonna be much help against thugs armed with iron axes. Wait a second, where were the two guardsmen from bef-  
  
Ohhhh.  
  
Shit.  
  
“Damned thieves!” Dimtiri swore, holding his staff in a defensive position. “Professor, what should we-”  
  
An audible whimper cut off Dimitri’s question as we turned to face Professor Armas. The color had seemed to fade from his face, his knees were under threat of buckling under him, and then...  
  
“I-I’M OUTTA HEREEEEEE!!!” exclaimed Professor Armas, a shrill voice that better suited a small girl than a fully grown man. All of us, even Claude, just stared in absolute shock. I know that old professor in the game just booked it, but this? This was outright pathetic.  
  
“D-Did the craven just turn tail and run?” Edelgard asked in a dismayed manner. Even the bandits stopped their approach just to laugh at the cowardly excuse of a professor running like his life depended on it.  
  
“So… anyone got any suggestions?” I asked nervously, turning to where Claude stood. As hopeful as I was that Claude had a plan, clearly that faith was entirely misplaced, for Claude just took off without a word!  
  
“Oh, you have got to be kidding me!” I shouted in frustration and Dimitri and Edelgard turned in time to see Claude’s back as he ran into the treeline.  
  
“Claude, you too?!” Dimitri exclaimed in an exasperated tone. “Oh forget this; Edelgard, Alistair, we’re sorely outnumbered, let us retreat for now! I believe there’s a village nearby!”  
  
No argument there. Edelgard and I nodded fiercely, joining Dimitri in a mad dash away from our camp.  
  
“The hell?! After them damn it! We’ve got a lot of gold riding on their corpses!”  
  
Every hair on the back of my neck had risen as the four of us just ran for our lives. We dashed through treelines, over rocks, the works. I just couldn’t believe I was managing to keep up with them, even with my new body. Was it the adrenaline? The fear? I didn’t know and I didn’t have time to figure it out.  
  
Just keep running. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you might be wondering; "Hey Osrio, what happened to your Fates SI?"
> 
> Truth be told, I just was not liking the way it was turning out. This 3Hs SI though? I -think- I might have something here. Hopefully. A warm thanks to mixedvalence and Mors for helping me with this trash. You're all truly wonderful.
> 
> We have a Discord server, come say hi or come to bully me; https://discord. gg/9XG3U7a


	2. Peaceful Days Died

I had lost track of time as we continued to run as far as our legs could carry us. Had it been a few minutes? Hours? I couldn’t tell. I was more concerned with not getting axed.  
  
I had to give those bandits some credit though, they could run fast as hell. It took some doing, but we eventually managed to shake Kostas and his gang of mooks off our trail, at least long enough to enter what I could only hope was Remire Village.  
  
All four of us were clearly exhausted, and I knew for a fact that I was in no position to run any more. Even Dimitri, no doubt the most physically adept of us all, looked quite winded.  
  
“Claude... could you care to explain what that was all about? You nearly left us to die!” Edelgard said as she fought to catch her breath, not even trying to hide the frustration in her voice.  
  
“Well pardon me, your Imperial Highness, for realizing a situation looked dire at best and for thinking that a strategic retreat was probably for the best. Really, the rest of you should’ve taken the hint and- ”  
  
“Strategic?! That was little more than the mark of a cowar-”  
  
“Enough of this!” Dimitri interrupted, slamming his foot down in anger. “Edelgard, Claude, we have far more pressing matters on our hands. The soldiers sent by the Church to protect us are dead and our professor has run off without nary another word. On top of that, those bandits will soon be upon us once more, we need to come up with a plan.”  
  
What good fortune then that I actually did have a plan. If this was Remire Village then that probably meant one thing. Come on Jeralt where were you…? Ah-ha! There it was, that had to be the camp of Jeralt’s mercenary band! Let’s keep the plot wheel moving, baby! Quite a convenient find too, I was expecting Remire to have been much bigger.  
  
“Hey uh, guys? Isn’t that a mercenary camp over there?” I point out, trying to get the royal trio’s attention, pointing to the nearby camp. “Maybe they’d be in a position to help us?”  
  
Claude didn’t look very enthused by the prospect.  
  
“More sellswords? I gotta be honest, Alistair, I’m not exactly feeling up to the idea of more hired swords when we were just running from a group of them not even five minutes ago,” Claude said, a slight exasperated tone in his voice.  
  
“Do you have other ideas then Claude? I’m certainly willing to try anything at this stage,” Dimtiri said. Claude, for once in his life, actually didn’t really have anything else to say. Now that was a surprise if I ever saw one.  
  
Without a word from me, Edelgard or Claude, Dimitri nodded. “Very well then, let us proceed.”  
  
“Ah, Dimitri-!”, Claude called out, but too little, too late. “Oh well, in for a piece, in for a pound as they say. Hopefully this lot proves to be a touch less stabby,” Claude sighed, before walking off to Dimitri, me and Edelgard in tow.  
  
As we approach the guard, he’s already spotted us, having a hand on his sword hilt, ready and on alert. “Halt! State your business!”  
  
Dimitri nodded. “Please sire, we need to speak to your commanding officer. We’ve found ourselves in a rather dire way, and we are in desperate need of help.”  
  
The guard took a moment to look at us, calming down most likely when he realized we were just kids. He let out a tired sigh, no doubt having just been robbed of precious sleep. “I can see if Sir Jeralt is awake, but I can guarantee no promises. Wait here,” he said before turning his back on us to rush into the tent.  
  
“Wait… Jeralt?” Edelgard mumbled, her face scrunched in thought.  
  
“Something up Edelgard?” I ask, turning to face her.  
  
“Oh, pay me no mind Alistair, I merely thought I heard that name somewhere else. It cannot possibly be the same Jeralt, can it?” She goes off again. Of course I knew what was up, it was kinda hard to not recognize Jeralt the Blade Breaker by his name, especially if you were a student of Garreg Mach.  
  
After about five minutes of waiting, Jeralt finally emerged, flanked by none other than Female Byleth! Okay, so we get the cute teacher, thigh power for days! Jeralt, for his part, looked as if he hadn’t slept in literal days, and was sporting a couple of shadows under his eyes. I also could not help but notice how tall the man was. It was probably due to not being quite as tall as I used to, but I couldn’t help but feel like I was looking at a mountain more than a man.  
  
Dimitri was the first to speak. “Please forgive our intrusion sir,” he began, a polite bow being given. “We wouldn’t bother you were the situation not dire.”  
  
Jeralt let out a slight yawn, blinking once. Yikes, he really did need some sleep. “What do a bunch of kids like you want at this hour?”  
  
“We are currently being pursued by a group of bandits. I can only hope that you will be so kind as to lend your support,” Dimitri explained as Jeralt’s eyes suddenly began to open more in response to Dimitri’s claim.  
  
“Bandits? Here?”  
  
“It’s true,” Edelgard added. “They attacked us while we were at rest in our camp.”  
  
“We’ve been separated from our companions and we’re outnumbered. They’re after our lives, not to mention our gold,” Claude said, at which I raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Pretty sure it’s more accurate to say that they’re being paid to kill us, Claude, if we’re going off what their leader said back at camp.”  
  
“Ah, too true, Alistair!” Claude chuckled. “Guess that’s the power of blood money!”  
  
“I have to say, I’m impressed you all are staying so calm considering the circumstances. I… Wait. Those uniforms…” Jeralt muttered, his eyes now focused on our outfits. Probably just now realizing who we were.  
  
My eyes wandered to Byleth for just a moment, and honestly? I did not expect to be as creeped out as I was by her. Byleth’s eyes silently scanned the four of us, before settling on me in particular. I couldn’t really tell what was wrong, her face was about as unreadable as Latin. I felt like I was being analyzed more than being looked at, like she was searching me for any sign of weakness.  
  
Suddenly a mercenary, obviously Jeralt’s, entered the scene. “S-Sir! Bandits spotted just outside the village. Counting at least eight or ten of them!”  
  
Jeralt let out a sigh of defeat. “I guess they followed you all the way here. We can’t abandon this village now.” A minor stretch later and he turns to face the four of us. “I’m assuming you all can fight?” He asked, to which we all nodded.  
  
“None of us are hurt… but I doubt we’re gonna be making much progress with these things,” Claude smiled wryly, pulling out his flimsy training bow. Jeralt sighed once more, I can already feel like he checked out hours ago and was just running on empty at this point.  
  
“Just my luck…” He groaned before turning to his daughter. “Byleth, hurry and get these four some proper weapons. Looks like we’re in for a scrap.”  
  
Byleth simply nodded. “Yes, father,” she said, speaking in one of the most monotone voices I think I will ever hear from another human being. I knew Byleth was emotionless at the start of the game but… yikes.  
  
It didn’t take long for her to return with proper weapons. A bow for Claude, a spear for Dimitri, an axe for Edelgard, and two swords; one for me and one for herself.  
  
I… couldn’t help but stare down at the blade in my hands, looking at the limited reflection peering back at me.. I knew exactly what I was about to do. I was about to kill someone. That was just the nature of the situation, of course. It was kill or be killed. And it wasn’t like I wasn’t prepared either, I knew how to fight. But… I dunno, I guess it was just now that reality was starting to sink in. How could I just take a human life like that, even if that human life was out to kill me?  
  
Hell, did I have the guts to take more than that?  
  
Jeralt seemed to notice my apprehension, turning to face me. “You alright there, kid? Blade not too heavy, yeah?”  
  
“Oh no, the blade’s more than fine sir. It’s just… well…” I trail off, not sure how I can properly describe the fear in my chest over the incoming battle. How I was afraid to kill. Jeralt, for his credit, seemed to understand exactly what the problem was.  
  
“This is your first battle, huh?” Jeralt asked, to which I nodded. “Figured. Listen to me kid, you’ll never forget your first battle or your first kill. The shaking of your knees, the horrible empty feeling of your stomach, it’s not easy. It’s outright hideous. I’ve been in your exact same situation before. Just know that you’re not alone. I for one am not willing to just let a bunch of kids die on my watch, so take a deep breath, alright?”  
  
I managed another nod, taking several deep breaths, in and out, repeating with absolute discipline. Come on Cole, you can do this. Ignoring the fact you’re with the three main lords of Three Houses, you’re with a highly trained mercenary captain infused with the blood of the daughter of what was basically God. You got this.  
  
My inner pep talk seemed to have helped at least somewhat. My knees were straighter, the blade no longer felt like a dumbbell in my hands. I looked back to Jeralt, who met my new deposition with a smile. “That’s more like it kid.”  
  
Suddenly we could hear screams from some of the villagers further in. Looks like Kostas’ gang had just arrived..  
  
“Right then, time to go you all. Stay close and we’ll make it through this,” Jeralt ordered, to which we all nodded.  
  
As we began to hurry onward, a hand grabbed my shoulder. Byleth’s hand. There was that stare again, that goddamn stare.  
  
“Uh, is something the matter?” I ask awkwardly. It didn’t help matters that Byleth, a rather attractive woman, had intruded into my personal space just to stare at me, but my main issue here was the fact I felt rather intimidated by those eyes of hers. Endless blue, not very defined but not lacking detail either.  
  
“...Don’t die,” she said simply, before running ahead of me. I just stared for a bit at her back, trying to process that simple request  
  
I uh… okay then. That was the plan from the start Byleth, no need to reiterate that. Seriously, shouldn’t she be staring at one of the other lords? What the hell made me so special to her?  
  
I sighed. No time to ponder that now. I couldn’t afford to cry or shake, no matter how badly I wanted to. It was do or die time. And like hell I was ending up as blood on some bandit’s axe during the Prologue of all things.  
  
Showtime.

* * *

As tempting as it would be to say the world was on fire, only two or three buildings seemed to have suffered any actual damage by the time we arrived. While some screams could be heard from the villagers trying to flee, very few bodies could actually be seen. Hopefully it meant most of the villagers made it out of here.  
  
Jeralt steadied himself, masterfully controlling his horse with one hand while wielding his spear with his remaining hand. “Let’s hurry up and take care of those thieves before they overrun the village.”  
  
Dimitri, Byleth and Edelgard made up the front while me and Claude hanged in the backline. Across a bridge, two bandits seemingly hadn’t noticed us, idly chatting across the wide bridge while facing away from us.  
  
“Guess they think they’ve already won. And that’s about to cost them. Byleth, I want you to take care of the one on the left, and two of you should take the one on the right. We take down the enemies in front first and quickly, we’ll break their morale like a twig,” Jeralt said, his plan coming out of his mouth smoothly like butter. Byleth nodded, not even a word coming out of her mouth.  
  
To me, this was probably going to be the most important moment of my life. But for Byleth it would only be Tuesday.  
  
Dimitri looked across the bridge and back to me. “I volunteer to take the one on the right. Alistair, are you with me?”  
  
I nodded, gripping my sword like it was my firstborn child. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I said, though not with as much confidence as I would have liked.  
  
With a nod, Byleth moved first, dashing across the bridge with her hand already on her hilt, while me and Dimitri moved just behind her. Byleth brought her sword to bear quickly, embedding it in the bandit’s head with the speed and accuracy that could only come from and removing it just as quickly before her unaware victim could even react.  
  
“W-What the-?!” exclaimed the other bandit, but me and Dimitri were already on him like a dog on a steak. Dimitri impaled the man through the thigh, causing the brigand to cry out in pain and also stopping him in place for me to finish him.  
  
Time seemed to slow down as I gripped my sword, and then ran my blade through the man’s chest, doubtless hitting his heart. His eyes widened in shock, moving ever so slightly before the light left them.  
  
Reality soon hit me like a train the minute I pulled out my blade from his chest. I had to fight just to keep the bile in my throat down as blood oozed from his chest and thigh, all while the corpse kept looking at me with those haunting, hollow eyes. My hands were shaking, so much so that I could barely hold onto my weapon. It wasn’t just a matter of watching him die, I could literally feel him die.  
  
I shouldn’t be feeling this way, right? He was a brigand, a thug. God only knows what he would've done to the people of Remire if I hadn’t killed him. Hell, the people of Remire would probably thank me when this was all done and over with.  
  
So why did I still feel like this?  
  
Dimitri’s hand on my shoulder broke me from my minor mental shut down, a concerned look on his face. “Alistair… are you well?”  
  
It took me a moment to finally respond to Dimitri. I just stood there, grimacing at my first kill before turning to face the Prince of Faerghus. “Dimitri… does this… does this get any easier?” I hoarsed out, trying to not vomit at the sight of the corpses.  
  
For just a moment, I could see the real him. Not the polite, mild-mannered facade he put up, not even the “Boar Prince”, just the tired look of a young man who’s lost nearly everything and would only lose more in the years to come.  
  
“No… it does not.”  
  
At that moment Jeralt rode up to the three of us, flanked by two mercenaries, Edelgard and Claude. “You all okay?” he asked, though more so directed at me and Dimitri than Byleth. I suppose when you were the Ashen Demon, you tended to build up a reputation of being reliable in a fight.  
  
Byleth simply nodded. “It is done, father.”  
  
Dimitri and I followed, although I was a bit more shaky in my nod. I couldn’t afford to show any more weakness on my part, especially now of all times. If I freeze up like that every time I kill someone, I’ll just wind up dead. Jeralt took a moment to look at our handiwork and nodded.  
“Alright, two down.”  
  
Looking ahead, there seemed to be two major paths into the village. One to the left led around a treeline and into the center of the village proper, no doubt being watched by the rest of the bandits. As for the right, it led into the treeline, also into the village, ample cover too. Hmm... What a shame it would’ve been if the bandits were preoccupied from the left and left their flanks entirely exposed.  
  
As I observed the two paths, Claude turned to me with a smirk. “Looks like you had the same scheme as I did, eh Alistair? This is the perfect chance to turn their numbers on their head.”  
  
I looked at him, raising my eyebrow. “How did you know I was thinking about that?”  
  
Claude simply shrugged, that shit-eating grin still being worn like it was a badge of honor. “Well for one, you just told me. Two, it’s a pretty decent idea all things considered. The only problem is numbers. We’d have to send a decoy and-”  
  
“Not a problem,” Jeralt interrupted. “I can distract the enemy in front while you all attack from behind. So long as you all can stay quiet, we’ll be able to smash them in a pincer attack.”  
  
Dimitri gave the Blade Breaker an incredulous look, followed with a shake of his head. “Jeralt was it? Forgive my outburst, but you cannot expect to make it out of this plan unscathed!”  
  
Jeralt just gave the Boar Prince a confident smirk, one I could definitely buy. Jeralt wasn’t any normal human after all, he was given a nice transfusion of Rhea’s blood, which definitely seems to have made him way sturdier as a result. Barring any knives of Agarthan origin of course.  
  
“No need to worry about me kid. Just wait for my signal in the trees there, got it?”  
  
Dimitri floundered to find a counter argument, but seemingly either couldn’t find one or he simply just gave up on the whole argument.  
  
Jeralt turned his steed around before taking off onto the main road into the town center, his two mercenaries following close behind. Us four meanwhile quickly and quietly crouched down into the bush, the only sound made being our breathing.  
  
Taking a look into the village area, there were definitely more bandits than in canon, and definitely more than back at the camp.  
  
“So…” Claude began in a hushed tone. “I know we’re going with a pincer, but do you all have any preference on who charges first?”  
  
Edelgard turned to him, crouched as low as she could be in the shrubbery. “How rare of you Claude for not thinking a scheme through to its conclusion. At any rate, me and Dimitri shall charge, followed by this ‘Byleth’, and finally you and Alistair. Does this suffice?”  
  
Made perfect sense to me. If we moved and struck fast enough, the bandits would be too busy with Jeralt and wouldn’t be able to retaliate. Dimitri and Edelgard had enough brute strength to kill them quickly, which is exactly what we needed. Quicker the dead, the quicker their morale broke.  
  
“Oi, you lot!” Jeralt called out, his spear rested on his shoulder. “Can’t quite say I appreciate all the trouble you’ve caused me and my band, especially when we’re trying to nod off to sleep.”  
  
Kostas stepped forward, axe drawn and letting out a mighty laugh. “Hah! Well no worries old man, soon enough you’ll be nodding off for-” Kostas paused as he took a closer look at his opponent. Then he began panicking.  
  
“W-What the hell?! Aren’t you Jeralt the Blade Breaker?! What the piss is a renowned mercenary like you doing here?!” Kostas exclaimed, the color having all but left his face as he realized just who he managed to piss off.  
  
A small gasp of realization left Edelgard’s lips as I heard her mumble under her breath. “So it **is** that Jeralt then…”  
  
Jeralt just sighed, readying his spear for the inevitable clash. “I’M the one who should be complaining. I’m caught up in the mess you all started!”  
  
Kostas looked to regain his composure, turning to his men. “H-He’s just got two men with him boys! Just rush 'em all at once!” he ordered. As the brigands began to charge however, Jeralt looked to our general direction, giving a thumbs up and nod.  
  
“Now,” Byleth ordered as the lot of us sprang from hiding places with weapons drawn.  
  
The bandits had been so preoccupied with Jeralt’s appearance that they hadn’t even tried to consider the factor of an ambush at all. Edelgard and Dimitri, as planned, drew first blood, an axe and spear cutting the lives of two of Kostas’ men short. I could practically hear my heartbeat bang like a drum as me, Byleth and Claude rushed in.  
  
“W-What the hell?! The brats ambushed us?!” One of the minor mooks shouted. He turned to me, rushing to meet me with an overhead swing from his axe. Waiting for him to commit, I ran to the side and circled him, impaling him right through the chest as he realized his mistake.  
  
Another life ended.  
  
Another sickening feeling in my stomach.  
  
Exactly how many lives would I end by the time all was said and done?  
  
Claude stepped forward to my right, taking aim and firing right between the eyes of another bandit who had attempted to try and strike from Jeralt’s flank. Four down, and it looked like five more to go.  
  
The fighting had dissolved into a slightly unorganized brawl as the bandits fought desperately to just stay alive. It was savagery. Pure savagery that I was completely unprepared to deal with, sword lessons aside. Kostas was currently dueling with Jeralt, and faring just about as well as a bandit could against a man who was literally named “Blade Breaker”.  
  
The brigand leader was knocked to his feet by a parry courtesy of Jeralt, rolling away just in time to avoid a spear through the chest. He quickly rose to his feet and looked back onto the battlefield, finding Edelgard distracted in her current bout with a fellow axe wielder.  
  
Just as Edelgard buried the blade of her axe into the man’s skull, Kostas came charging at her, much to her surprise. With her axe still having a temporary home in someone’s skull, Edelgard was forced to draw her hidden dagger, though it was clear that a small blade such as that wouldn’t be enough to stop an exe, no matter how Crests Edelgard had.  
  
And just my fucking luck, Byleth just happened to be nowhere near close enough to help Edelgard. Neither were Claude or Dimiri.  
  
I had a split second choice.  
  
Obviously there was no guarantee that Edelgard wouldn’t be fine, but even the slightest chance of her dying or being maimed would simply derail too much of the plot. If Edelgard died, who knew how Thales would react to his “investment” perishing before his little Burger King Kids Club could enact their plans?  
  
‘Fuck it,’ I thought. Let’s do Byleth’s job for her.  
  
Like a man possessed, I sprinted toward Edelgard, coming between her and Kostas with my blade drawn.  
  
“A-Alistair-?!” She blurted out, but I was already committed. Kostas either had no time to react or simply didn’t care that I had come between him and his opponent as he brought his axe down.  
  
“YOU’LL DIE!”  
  
Not a chance pal.  
  
Axe and sword clashed as Kostas attempted to gain some ground in our little blade lock. But I refused to buckle, even as my arms ached under the pressure. It was already clear he had the advantage in raw upper body strength, but I wasn’t backing down.  
  
“Grr... little noble piece of shit, just DIE!” Kostas spat in my face, trying to push harder and overpower me. Had to give him at least some credit, the guy was tough as nails. If this went on any longer, I was dead!  
  
Gritting my teeth, I managed to bring my knee up to Kostas’ stomach, breaking our clash as he doubled back just a bit. Sweet bosom of Sothis that fucking smarted! God it felt like I was hitting metal with my knee!  
  
With a roar, Kostas was to strike yet again when suddenly…  
  
Byleth was right there, sword in hand. A swift, powerful slash had separated his head cleanly from his neck, killing the brigand instantly. And that certainly did not go unnoticed from the remaining brigands, who had noticed their now very much dead leader.  
  
“D-Did they just kill the boss?!”  
  
“Come on, let’s get outta here! Ain’t no amount of gold is worth taking on the Blade Breaker!”  
  
Suddenly the remaining bandits got the bright idea to just hightail it and leave. Breaking off from whatever engagements they had just been in, they scattered in just about every direction, some even dropping their weapons.  
  
This… felt way easier than it should have been for me. I mean, granted I had Jeralt, Byleth and the three lords carrying me, but I expected shit to go south really fast.  
  
Also I’m pretty sure Kostas was supposed to die later on during the Zanado Bandit arc, right? Would Kostas just be replaced by another bandit? Really banking on that being the case, because I was not very keen on working with events outside of the game’s canon.  
  
Then again, I’m talking to Sothis. Maybe I’m already so far off the game’s canon as is.  
  
Edelgard let out a sigh of relief over the battle’s climax as Byleth, still coated in Kostas’ blood, walked over to us.  
  
“Are you two unharmed?” She asks. Edelgard nods while I massage my arm gingerly.  
  
“My arm’s probably gonna be sore for a couple of days,” I began. “But it could’ve been a lot wo- ow!” I exclaim as Byleth slaps me lightly upside the head.  
  
“...Stupid. I told you not to die. That move could’ve gotten you killed,” she says simply, though more of a slight hint of annoyance in her voice than the monotone from before. Well Byleth, maybe if you were attentive like in canon, I wouldn’t have to stand my ground against a rampaging bandit boss.  
  
Edelgard stepped between us, though the effect was just a bit muted due to the difference in Edelgard’s height and my own height. I don’t think I ever noticed how fucking short Edie was.  
  
“Byleth, was it? While I am in agreement Alistair’s maneuver was incredibly risky, the fact remains that he still stood his ground to give you the opportunity to end the battle. This victory belongs to the both of you.”  
  
Byleth looked downwards at Edelgard, her expression still as alien to me as a foreign language. She slowly nodded, albeit it with some reluctance. “...I simply do not care for unnecessary risks. That is all.”  
  
Suddenly, a voice cut through the awkward tension. “Hey - over here!” Claude called out as he and Dimitri came rushing to the scene. Dimitri looked down on the gruesome scene without a word before turning to us.  
  
“I suppose that is why the bandits suddenly took off as they did. Alistair, Edelgard, are you both unharmed?”  
  
We nodded as Claude grimaced slightly as he saw Kostas’ severed head on the ground. “Jeez… bit gruesome for my taste, but a win’s a win I suppose,” Claude shrugged, turning away from the scene. Oh right, severed head. That definitely was gonna haunt my nightmares for a few weeks.  
  
Suddenly, like the ever so elegant sound of dynamite in the middle of the night, a loud, boisterous voice bellowed. “The Knights of Serios have arrived! We shall cut you down for terrorizing our students!”  
  
We all turned our heads to find none other than Alois, having arrived just as in canon! ...Granted it would’ve been great to have his back up just a couple of minutes beforehand, but at least this gave me the impression things were still on track.  
  
It took Alois just a moment to realize that he had arrived just a bit late, able to see some of the bandits still fleeing for their lives. “Hey, the thieves are getting away! Go after them!” Alois ordered the two soldiers next to him. With a nod, both of them took off, lance and axe in the hand of each.  
  
Alois rushed over to us the moment he saw us. He stopped, sighing with relief and sheating his axe. “The students appear to be unharmed,” he nodded as he spotted the four of us. “And… who is this?”  
  
Jeralt, almost instantly recognizing the absolute misery he was about to endure as soon as he saw Alois’ face, let out a defeated sigh. “Ugh… why him?”  
  
Alois however, seemed more than happy upon realizing who he had just seen. “Captain Jeralt?! It is you! Goodness, it’s been ages! Don’t you recognize me? It’s Alois, your old right-hand man! ...Well, that’s how I always thought of myself anyway.”  
  
Byleth had moved from our little group to right next to Jeralt, seemingly curious by the loud knight proclaiming to have known her father. Edelgard, Claude and Dimitri had moved just a bit aways, most likely discussing the chaos of tonight and how it would affect their studies.  
  
Alois continued, his grin never wavering. “It must have been roughly 20 years ago that you went missing! I always knew you were still alive!”  
  
“You haven’t changed a bit Alois. Just as loud as ever. And drop that captain nonsense, I’m not your captain anymore. These days I’m just a wandering mercenary. One who has work to do. Goodbye, old friend,” Jeralt said, already having turned around to walk away from Alois and whatever hijinks lay in store.  
  
“Right… Goodbye, Captain,” Alois began, before opening his eyes in realization. “Wait a moment! That’s not how this ends! I insist that you return to the monastery with me!”  
  
Jeralt stopped dead in his tracks, turning his gaze upward to the night sky with an almost forlorn gaze. Given what happened to Sitri and Byleth, I really couldn’t blame Jeralt for wanting to avoid that place and Rhea like the plague. And yet...  
  
“Garreg Mach Monastery… I suppose this was inevitable,” Jeralt sighed, shaking his head in defeat. It was like he knew that Alois would chase him to the ends of Fodlan just to drag him back to Garreg Mach now that he knew that Jeralt was alive and well. I could practically taste the apprehension in his tone.  
  
Alois however, either didn’t hear Jeralt or simply didn’t care in his pure, child-like excitement as he turned to Byleth. I had to admit, that smile was infectious as hell. “And what about you, young lass? Are you the captain’s daughter?”  
  
Byleth paused for a moment before nodding, perhaps in caution of having never met Alois before. “...That is correct.”  
  
“Is that so?” Alois asked. “Well, physical differences aside, your mannerisms certainly do remind me of the captain. I’d love for you to see the monastery too! You will join me, won’t you?”  
  
Jeralt simply let out another sigh, a long, drawn out sigh that could only come from a man who had spent two decades trying to put his past behind him, only for it to come rushing toward him with the horsepower of a freight train.  
  
Alois tilted his head slightly as his gaze turned back to Jeralt. “What’s troubling you, Captain? You aren’t about to run off on me again are you?”  
  
“Even I wouldn’t dare run from the Knights of Seiros,” Jeralt answered, though it really felt like he was telling himself that more than Alois. The two walked away, more than likely to discuss the very complicated logistics of having to cancel their Kingdom contract and move their entire band all the way to Garreg Mach.  
  
Byleth just stood there for a minute before turning to me.  
  
“...I should go help him. I will return in a moment,” she said before running off to Jeralt and Alois.  
  
Well at least this was going according to canon. Jeralt comes back to the Knights of Seiros, Byleth gets hired as a professor due to a recommendation by Alois. That said… I really hope she chose Black Eagles. Otherwise I’d have to transfer to her chosen house ASAP. Generally the houses not chosen tended to become akin to sinking ships.  
  
“That girl… she seems quite familiar to me… and yet, where was it…?”  
  
I nearly jumped up from the sound of a new voice, turning to see who was speaking to me… until I realized it was just Sothis being a shit.  
  
“Jesus, you mind not just speaking up unannounced, Sothis?” I ask in a hushed whisper. A minor huff could be heard from inside my head, the image of Sothis pouting on her throne practically coming into my mind’s eye.  
  
“The fault is not mine if you cannot become accustomed to a lady such as myself. At any rate, it would seem your presence is required by your peers. Chop, chop!” I heard Sothis say in a tone that would be more suited for a master to their butler.  
  
Edelgard, Claude and Dimitri had apparently finished their little inner circle meeting, making their ways to me, Edelgard being the first to approach.  
  
“Well fought today, Alistair. I owe you a significant debt for saving me from that brigand’s axe,” Edelgard said, smiling. “And I must say, your potential is without question. You never lost control of the situation, able to hold your own against their leader’s axe.  
  
I couldn’t help but let out an empty chuckle. “If by ‘never lost control’ you mean, ‘hitting the guy below the belt’, then sure. Frankly I’m just… I guess I’m still kinda shaking on the inside.”  
  
Dimitri looked at me for a second before speaking. “This was… your first time in a real battle, was it not? Alistair, please be honest. How do you feel?”  
  
How did I feel? **How did I feel?** How do I even begin to explain the terror I felt at taking a life? How disgusting I felt as I literally felt my first victim die?  
  
“I… I know they were brigands, specifically out to kill us,” I began, my words shaking just a bit, throat parched. God I felt like such a fucking loser. “But I can’t just ignore this horrible feeling in my stomach as I cut them down. It doesn’t feel right, at all.”  
  
Edelgard sighed, putting her hand on my shoulder. It was right here that I realized truly just how short Edelgard was, especially in comparison to my new body. “Alistair, listen to me. Killing is never an act that should be taken lightly. The fact that you feel this way is proof that you are still human. But you also must have the strength to be able to take a life. Not to simply destroy the enemy, but also to protect what you hold dearly.”  
  
There it was again, Edelgard’s near magical charisma at work. Even though she was the one who was literally looking up at me, I felt small compared to her. I won’t say anything dramatic like; “It was looking at a goddess”, but even with everything I knew about who she was, or what she would do that would make this statement so hypocritical, it was hard for me to not stare at Edelgard with awe for just a brief moment.  
  
It made me feel useless in comparison.  
  
Claude finally took the chance to speak up. “Frankly Alistair, I’m actually jealous that the Black Eagles found themselves a student with as much potential with the sword as you. You wouldn’t happen to be open to the idea of switching classes at one point, would you?” He asked, his infamous shit eating grin, not even trying to look sincere.  
  
Edelgard looked none too amused. “Claude von Riegan, the school year has not even started, and you’re already looking to spirit one of my classmates away? Does your tactlessness know no bounds?”  
  
Claude, for his part, acted like he was hurt. Acting being the operative word here. “Oh, dear Edelgard von Hresvelg, you wouldn’t be trying to accuse me of such an underhanded scheme, would you? I was only going to attempt to build the foundation for a strong friendship on our way back to the academy! Then I would start asking for favors.”  
  
Dimitri moved carefully to my side, whispering low enough that Edelgard and Claude wouldn’t hear over their argument. “It’s rather amusing,” He began. “You would assume the Black Eagles and Blue Lions would have more of a rivalry given the history between the two countries, and yet Edelgard and Claude seem to have as many differences as the sky and ground.”  
  
I shrugged, letting a more genuine chuckle escape my lips. “Compared to what’s happened so far tonight, I think I’ll take some banter between them just for some levity.”  
  
Dimtiri chuckled with me. “A fair enough point, I suppose. For all of their bickering, I suppose I can see why you must be so hotly contested, Alistair. If it's to your liking, the Blue Lions are also accepting any willing transfers.”  
  
“Oh, what’s this now?” Edelgard asked in a sarcastic manner, though I could make out the distinct curls of a small smile. “Even you would try to steal our newest classmate, Dimitri? My, my, Alistair, you’re already proving quite the catch. Perhaps I should thank my lucky stars you were born in Adrestia, no?”  
  
I just rub the back of my neck nervously, my ears turning a bright red. “I’m really no one special Edelgard, just a guy with a sword.”  
  
“Yeah right,” Claude began, snickering. “Takes a lot more than just a sword to have impressed both of their royal... Highnesses.... Huh.”  
  
A more inquisitive look appeared on the half-Almyran as he turned to Dimitri and Edelgard. “Do you guys… get the feeling we’ve done this kinda thing before?”  
  
“Hmm…” Dimitri pondered. “I… think so? There is a faint feeling of something, but I cannot quite put it to words.”  
  
“It’s possible the lot of us are simply tired. It has been a rather arduous evening, we should hurry back to the Monastery,” Edelgard said, though she certainly didn’t confirm nor deny the feeling that Claude and Dimitri had. They… couldn’t possibly be remembering the events from previous timelines, could they? There was no way, only Byleth could do that shit.  
  
“Too true,” Claude sighed, shrugging. “We need to hurry back anyway, no doubt I’m gonna get an earful from my grandfather about this.”  
  
It was right then that Alois arrived, announcing that we were to hurry back to the Monastery. Fine by me, I needed to get away from Remire. Away from the bodies.  
  
And so, we were off.  
  


* * *

  
Turns out, it was probably not even midnight by the time we were halfway there. After a little persuasion from Jeralt, Alois agreed that we should make camp to rest up. Personally I wasn't exactly feeling keen on camping again after the fun times with Kostas and friends, but screw it, I guess. Dimitri, Edelgard and Claude were busy chatting it up with Byleth, no doubt going through the same motions as in canon.  
  
Jeralt and Alois also sat near the campfire, laughing and talking, though Alois seemed to be doing most of the talking, Jeralt simply nodding or agreeing with his former squire.  
  
No reason for me to interfere. I knew I needed a bit of time to myself anyway.  
  
I was more than happy to have settled down in my tent, which wasn’t too terribly hard to make. Had Alistair’s memories to thank for that bit. It had only been a few hours since my timely arrival into Fodlan, but it felt like days. I think someone said my name, but I paid it no mind. And so I closed my eyes, allowing my mind to slow down…  
  


* * *

  
When my eyes shot open, I was back in the endless void again. And if this was the void and not me waking up from a really bad night terror…  
  
“Ah, so you are awake once more. Good, we must speak, urgently.”  
  
There she was, mother of the lizard people. Sothis looked a touch more serious than last time, probably because she was aware that she was in my soul… mind… whatever.  
  
“Figured this was coming. Okay Sothis, let’s just get the itinerary out of the way, what do you wanna know?” I ask, though I have a feeling I knew what she wanted.  
  
“To begin with, where is my corporeal form? And what of my children? Cichol? Seiros?”  
  
I couldn’t help but stumble for just a second. How do you just explain to the echo of someone that they’re dead, that they’ve been long since dead? And how do I just explain what Rhea’s been doing for the past 1,000 years?  
  
Sothis sighed, shifting in her chair slightly. “Cole, or should I say ‘Alistair’? You need not attempt to sweeten the details. I have lived for longer than even I can remember, I can withstand the truth.”  
  
“Okay… well, Sothis, you’re dead.”  
  
…  
  
The moment it took for Sothis to respond was probably more close to a few seconds, but it felt like an hour. Sothis, for once, was actually visibly stunned, her jaw practically hanging out of her mouth.  
  
“E-Excuse me?”  
  
So… I told her everything. I told her that Nemesis had killed her while she was sleeping, how the Agarthan remnants made weapons and Crest Stones from her and her children's bodies, what Rhea had been doing, I told her just about everything I could remember. Her face ran the gamut of emotions, from shock, anger and even sadness.  
  
“So… in other words, little Seiros has spent a millenia attempting to bring me back from the dead, using my ‘heart’ that is located in this ‘Byleth’. Foolish child, foolish…” Sothis mumbles to herself, her voice on the verge of tears. “What a horrible mother I have been to my children if they have been forced to walk this path…”  
  
I shake my head. “Sothis, you never asked for what the Agarthans did to Fodlan, and you never asked for Nemesis to kill you. You’re far from a bad mother. Rhea… or Seiros, I guess, just loves you too damn much. She can’t let go.”  
  
“I… I understand as much,” Sothis nodded shakily. “I suppose it is… simply much to take in all at once.”  
  
“Honestly, I’m surprised you’re keeping yourself together as well as you have Sothis. I was expecting outright tears,” I said, crossing my arms. At that point, I was honestly expecting Sothis to huff and go into her haughty, confident mode, but she didn’t. She simply exhaled another sigh and shook her head.  
  
“Oh believe me, I am certainly quite… shaken by these revelations,” Sothis said, resting her right leg on her lap. “But we have other matters to discuss. For one; if you claim Byleth has my “heart”, then why are you and I connected like this?”  
  
And there was the million dollar question. If everything was going according to canon like I thought, then I shouldn’t even be able to talk to Sothis. So why was this different? What did it even mean for that matter?  
  
For a few minutes, Sothis and I just stood there in that quiet, haunting void, trying to put all the pieces together. But it was futile, for how can you put together a puzzle if you don’t have all the pieces together yet?  
  
“This is getting us nowhere,” I sigh, stretching my back slightly.  
  
“Agreed. We cannot come to a conclusion if we lack the information we need. For now, we must wait until tomorrow when we arrive back at this academy. I for one am looking forward to seeing Cichol and Seiros once… more...” Sothis yawned, her eyes beginning to droop. I couldn’t help but be amused. Even with a fully grown body, Sothis still had the same sleeping habits as her canon counterpart.  
  
“And here I thought growing a few inches would give you more energy,” I snickered, as Sothis glared a bit before yawning again.  
  
“Realize that my wellbeing and yours are now mutually inclusive, young Cole. If you are unwell, I am unwell. If you perish, I perish as well. And that means… mmmnn… getting a healthy amount of rest would behoove us both...”  
  
I let out a yawn as well, suddenly feeling drowsy myself. I could feel myself losing balance slightly, but manage to make it to the bottom of the stairs to catch myself.  
  
“Pleasant dreams… my child…”  
  
As soon as I heard Sothis’ gentle snoring, all I knew was the gentle embrace of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now this chapter I don't feel remotely confident in, but here we are anyway! Fight scenes man, describing them's an uphill battle. Anyway, the three lords seem to have a case of deja-vu, and Cole still doesn't know why he and Sothis are linked! Mysteries, mysteries. Tune in next time as we head back to Garreg Mach and get Cole introduced to the Eagles! 
> 
> We have a Discord, join us for memes, laughter, writing, advice or maybe you just wanna bully me. 
> 
> https://discord .gg/9XG3U7a


	3. New Friends and Tears

_ I had walked into the middle of a warzone.  _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Screams and battle cries littered the air, people running past me and clashing. Swords had been drawn, corpses and their discarded weaponry littered the field as far as the eye could see. It was as close to Hell as I could possibly describe it.  _

_ Suddenly, a dragon, its scales as white as driven snow, appeared from the sky. Its face had been contorted in pure, unabashed fury. It landed violently near me, crushing a nearby soldier into nothing more than blood and guts, sending me tumbling to the ground. The sky was grey, the world was upside down, and the dragon roared with pure, unholy volume. In its rage, I could make out one word. _ _  
_ _  
_ **_“MOTHERRRRRRR!!!”_ ** **_  
_ ** **_  
_ ** _ My vision had turned red. The world became a blur. All I knew was pain. _ **_  
_ ** **_  
_ ** _ Make it stop. Make it stop, make it stop, makeitstopstopstopstopstopstop! _ _  
_ _  
_ **_STOP._ ** **_  
_ ** **_  
_ **

* * *

  
My body was shaking the instant that I opened my eyes, sweat coating my face like a mask. My heart was pounding like I had just been in a… battle.    
  
That dream- no. That nightmare. What in the hell was THAT?! It looked like the end of the world, just with dragons I guess? Wait a minute, that dragon… that was the Immaculate One, that was Rhea! So wait… was that the future? Or was that the past when Sothis first died?   
  
Fucking hell, too many questions, especially this early in the morning.   
  
I stumble out of my tent, still fairly dizzy until I quite literally bump into Jeralt, noticeably looking a bit brighter compared to last night. Sleep did a man wonders, wish I knew what that felt like.   
  
“Well morning to you too, kid,” He chuckled. “You get any sleep?”   
  
I just nod, not really in the mood to talk to anyone at present. I don’t think Jeralt bought it, but he seemed to not pry too much in either case.   
  
“Well, good. We’ll be arriving at the Academy by mid-day, so get ready to move out, yeah?” Jeralt said, before heading off to Byleth, who had currently finished taking down her tent. Once again our gazes crossed for a second, and once again I felt like I was being silently picked apart by a predator.   
  
I shook my head, heading over to my tent to take it down. I just didn’t get it, why was Byleth so curious with me in particular? Shouldn’t she be talking with her father or the leader of the future House she would be teaching? Granted, Byleth didn’t know she would be a teacher until we arrived at Garreg Mach, but still…   
  
“My, it would seem men have become just a bit more oblivious after my passing. Can you not tell when a lady is smitten with you, Cole?” Sothis jested as I fought down a blush. Byleth having a crush on me, or anyone just after the Prologue? Actually, let’s rewind that just a bit,  **any** girl actually showing a romantic interest in me was outright laughable.    
  
“Call back when you have something more substantial to add to a situation, Sothis. Like that dream I had,” I said under my breath, really wishing I could just think something and be able to communicate with Sothis that way.   
  
“Oh fine, child. I suppose I must leave you two lovebirds to your privacy for now~”    
  
Before I could begin making plans for Sothis’ immediate demise, I felt a presence looming over me like an overcast sky. Standing up, I turned to find Byleth had walked right on over to me without nary a word. To say the situation felt awkward was putting it mildly to say the least. At least on my part. What the hell did she want now?   
  
“Um… Good morning, Byleth was it?” I try starting the conversation, only to be answered with a nod.    
  
“...There are no wounds from yesterday’s engagment, are there?” She says simply and matter-of-factly. Well aside from that smack she gave me, there wasn’t.   
  
“Feeling fine Byleth,” I said. “I didn’t even get nicked yesterday. Why do you ask?”   
  
Byleth took a moment to find an answer, her gaze actually turned downward for once before she shook her head. “...No reason. I have also talked with the others regarding any possible lingering wounds. I would simply prefer to keep my allies among the living.”   
  
I… guess that made sense. Corpses and ghosts generally didn’t make good friends, unless your name was Dimitri.    
  
“I have to hurry,” Byleth began, looking back toward her father. “We leave fairly soon, and I’d rather we arrive at this ‘Garreg Mach’ soon.” And she was off, leaving me all alone with my half-taken down tent. What the hell was Byleth’s deal?   
  
“Oh the trials and tribulations of young love! Fret not, dear Cole, for there are other fish in the vast sea that we call life!”   
  
I was going to fucking kill Sothis by the end of this, I swear to God.   
  


* * *

  
The road to Garreg Mach was fairly uneventful, me making idle chatter with the three lords, Jeralt noticeably looking in a better mood than last night as he talked with Alois. It was calm, peaceful and noticeably cool out for the beginning of the year. Then again I was born and raised in the ass end of Florida, so I was definitely more used to muggy weather.   
  
Dimitri and Claude were chatting it up with Byleth, who only seemed to nod or say “I see,” whenever given info on Garreg Mach.    
  
“So Alistair,” Edelgard began. “As the newest member of the Black Eagles, I should probably give you some foreword. Though we may differ in age and rank, we of the Black Eagles do not discriminate based on either of those things. We value talent and potential above all else, so you need not worry about being more casual around the nobility of our house.”   
  
I nodded. Each of the classes generally had a mixture of commoner and noble students, though the Black Eagle house stood out in particular for seemingly only having one commoner in the game, and that was Dorothea, and now me I supposed. If anything, the Golden Deer tended to embrace that kind of idea a bit more, Lorenz notwithstanding.    
  
“Wait, aren’t I one of the only commoners in the Black Eagles this year?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.    
  
“Well… That much is definitely true. In fact, you and one Dorothea Amault stand out as the only two commoner students in the whole class,” Edelgard admitted, a slightly embarrassed look on her face. It really was funny, for saying that the Black Eagles didn't discriminate based on status, it sure did seem low on commoners. “But regardless, none of us will look down on you for your status, so do not worry about ranks.”   
  
Just as I was about to retort, Garreg Mach proper finally came into full view and… wow. Just… wow. Even from a distance, the game couldn’t even begin to do this place justice. From here, I was able to get a good look at the sheer scale of the place and felt utterly gobsmacked.   
  
“Holy hell…” I breathed, taking in the beautiful scenery before me.    
  
Edelgard smiled, standing by my side as she looked on as well. “The view is certainly magnificent, is it not?”   
  
I nodded, unable to tear my eyes away. “Breathtaking is definitely one word I’d use.”   
  
Sothis made her presence known once more, and though she had not materialized, I could feel her peering at the Academy before us.    
  
"This place…” She mumbled as I felt her gaze wash over the Academy. “Seiros and Cichol are most definitely there. I can feel their auras. Yet, there is another here… who?”   
  
Ah, that was probably Flayn she was sensing. As Edelgard walked ahead without another word, I whispered low enough that only I could hear.    
  
“Cichol has a daughter. Her birth name is Cethleann, though she goes by Flayn right now,” I explained.    
  
Sothis, for her part, could barely contain her excitement. “I-I am a grandmother?!” She squealed in happiness, making me very grateful for the fact only I could hear her.    
  
“Can you please keep it down, Sothis? No one else might be able to hear you, but I certainly can. For that matter, can’t we just talk telepathically?” I ask under my breath as Claude gave me a quizzical look.   
  
“You say something, Alistair?” He asked, tilting his head.   
  
“O-oh, it’s nothing, Claude!” I laugh. “Just doing a bit of talking to myself really.” I don’t think he quite bought it, but Claude opted to not pursue the manner further, choosing to walk onward. As I followed him, I let out a sigh of embarrassment.   
  
“Hmm…” Sothis pondered. “I believe there is a way we can do just that. But it will have to wait until later on. For now, just ignore my voice. It would most likely bear ill tidings for you to speak my name in front of Seiros and Cichol.” Fine by me, I didn’t need any pissed off mom-con dragon woman ordering my immediate execution.    
  
As Sothis quieted down, I turned my gaze back to Garreg Mach. A place of learning, of crossroads and choices. Where did I fit into the mix? Why was I here?   
  
I shook my head. No time to ponder why I was here. Like it or not, I was in Three Houses and that was that. I couldn’t afford to dwell on every fine detail, I had to keep moving. It was time for me to get with the program, or die and be left behind.   
  
And I wasn’t in the mood to die just yet.   
  


* * *

  
True enough, Jeralt kept to his word, and by mid-day we had arrived. I had to force myself not to drop my jaw in pure awe. Garreg Mach was closer to a small city than an actual monastery. Everything about it just made me feel so small in comparison. Jeralt turned to us, Byleth following in tandem. “This is where we part. We’ve gotta report to the Archbishop, but doubtless we’ll be seeing more of each other,” Jeralt said.

  
“It was a true honor to fight alongside you, Sir Jeralt,” Dimitri nodded, giving the man a bow of respect.   
  
“Without you, we’d be mincemeat right now. So thanks for everything,” Claude smiled. Edelgard simply gave the former Knight-Captain a small smile, a smile that said everything that needed to be said.

Jeralt let out a chuckle. “Don’t go thinking this is goodbye or anything. If my hunch is right, we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other in the near future,” He said, before turning to Byleth. “Come on kid, the Archbishop’s this way.” The two began to walk away, while Edelgard looked at the main tower where Rhea presumably resided, her brows furrowed in what I could only describe as pure, condensed hatred.   
  
“The Archbishop…” She mumbled, her tone considerably more venomous,   
  
“Uh, Edelgard?” I ask, turning to face her. “Something the matter?”   
  
She shook her head. “Oh, it’s nothing, pay me no mind, Alistair.” Liar. I knew exactly what was up. I just couldn’t say anything more because of the mole people.   
  
I just shrug. “If you say so.”   
  
“Well,” Claude began, stretching his legs. “As fun as this adventure’s been, I gotta check in with the Golden Deer and explain how I nearly lost my head last night. So, I’ll see you three later on then!” Claude waved before hurrying off to where I presumed the classrooms were.    
  
“I probably should be going as well,” Dimitri added. “No doubt that Dedue and the rest of my class has been worried sick as well. Edelgard, Alistair, enjoy the rest of your day.” He bowed politely, heading off in the same direction that Claude was heading, leaving me and Edelgard alone.    
  
“Well then, Alistair,” Edelgard said. “I suppose we should introduce you to the rest of the Black Eagles. The classrooms are this way,” She gestured. It took all of five minutes to reach what I could only guess was the Black Eagles homeroom. Certainly had the trademarked eagle flag. Wait… did trademarks even exist in Fodlan?

“Here we are,” Edelgard said, her voice creeping with a hint of apprehension. “I should warn you once more, we can be a fairly… rambunctious house, to put it mildly. But I’ve no doubt you’ll fit in just fine.” She pushed opened the door, revealing…   
  
“...so what I’m saying, Ferdinand, is we need to have a good fight before the term really starts! We gotta know how every one of us stands, yeah?! So I say we have a big battle royale!”    
  
“Caspar… don’t you think you are being just a tad too hasty? We already have a small mock battle coming up after all. It would be rather unwise to risk any serious injuries before then.”   
  
Yup, about what I expected from the Black Eagles classroom. First thing I hear is Caspar wanting to fight literally everything that moves.   
  
With a cough, all eyes were on Edelgard and me. Well, except Bernadetta’s anyway, who wasn’t even visible at first glance. She was either under the desk or just curled up in her room.   
  
Standing up, Hubert was the first to speak. “Lady Edelgard, welcome back,” He bowed. “I trust the training exercise wasn’t too much of a hindrance?”   
  
Edelgard shook her head at her loyal retainer, sighing. “If only I could say that. Not only were we beset by bandits, but our prospective new professor simply turned craven and ran off, leaving us four to fend for ourselves.”   
  
A few eyes widened in shock, though Hubert remained the picture of calm and collected. “Bandits?!” Caspar exclaimed. “And I didn’t get a chance to see some action?! Come on!”   
  
Lindhardt actually took a moment to rise from his nap and roll his eyes at his friend. “Caspar, you’re being far too eager to jump into a sea of spears and blades. I, for one, would exercise at least some due caution, but of course you’ll probably not listen to me. I, for one, am a little disappointed that our new professor decided to simply abandon his post.”   
  
Caspar nodded. “Yeah, that’s a bummer. Guess Professor Jeritza’s gonna have to step up to the plate now.”    
  
Huh… wasn’t aware of that little tid-bit. Given who Jeritza really was, maybe this was all part of Edelgard’s plan? Hire the brigands, scare off the professor and get Jeritza to teach a curriculum to her design. I had no way of knowing for certain, if that really was her plan then obviously getting caught in the crossfire wasn’t part of the plan.   
  
“Hold one moment Edelgard,” Ferdinand cut in, his voice as smooth and calculated as rich butter. Seriously, even in real life, the guy’s voice alone projected pure classiness. “How exactly did you manage to escape unscatched? And for that manner, who is this?” He asked, turning to face me.    
  
Edelgard chuckled. “I was getting there, Ferdinand. Luckily, we happened upon a rather friendly mercenary company, and with our new classmate, we managed to turn the tide against the brigand group quite handily. Everyone, meet Alistair Boramas, our newest Black Eagle.”   
  
Thank you, Edelgard, for not preparing to introduce me to the entire class. Okay Cole… deep breaths. You took a speech class in college, you could do this, no problem!   
  
“U-Uh, hi there, everyone!”   
  
…   
  
I was honestly more disappointed with myself than anyone else was with me for that shoddy introduction.    
  
Caspar was the first to speak up. “New classmate, eh? Don’t think I heard of us getting another classmate.”   
  
Linhardt rolled his eyes again. “Of course you wouldn’t, Caspar. You were busy training when this was announced. The Black Eagles, Blue Lions and Golden Deer were all set to have one more student added to their rosters. Though, as far as I heard, only Alistair here actually made the cut.”   
  
Two others? Guess I should be thankful I didn’t end up in one of those guys, huh?   
  
Edelgard nodded and continued with her introduction. “Despite having the status of a commoner, Alistair already shows great potential in the field of swordplay. I do hope you all will get along with him.” Geez, were Sothis and Edelgard in a competition to see who could ‘mom’ me the most?   
  
“Another commoner, you say?” Came the telltale vocals of a certain songstress. Standing up and turning around, I came face to face with Dorothea Arnault, the only other commoner in the Black Eagles. Her eyes scanned me from head to toe, giving me a smile. “Well, it’s certainly heartening to know I won’t be the only commoner here. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alistair.”    
  
I manage to smile and nod at her, wanting to say something in return, but the words die in my throat. I wasn’t sure if it was the hormones of adolescence hitting me like a truck, or if Dorothea was simply just that beautiful, or even both, but I found myself utterly speechless in front of her.    
  
Jesus, this really was high school again.   
  
Mercifully, or unmercifully, Hubert spoke up to cut through the awkwardness like a fine dagger. “I see, so you defended Lady Edelgard in my absence.”    
  
His voice was calculated, analytical, his eyes like a lion sizing up his prey. I don’t know what was worse; being utterly gobsmacked by Dorothea’s radiance or being intimidated by Hubert's threatening aura.    
  
“Well then,” He began, holding out a… hand? “I suppose I must give you thanks for protecting Her Highness in my stead.” That was… certainly a bit out of left field, especially for fucking  _ Hubert  _ of all people. But hey, so long as Dark Magic wasn’t being flung in my general direction, I’d take it.   
  
I take Hubert’s hand and shake it, noting his surprisingly strong grip.    
  
“It was nothing Hubert,” I began. “I was merely looking out for my fellow classmate, no more and no less.”   
  
“And also your future Emperor,” Hubert added with just a hint of menace, as if to remind me of my place. “Please, do well to remember that.”   
  
Now the entire class was practically surrounding me in a claustrophobic circle of misery and pain. Please God, Buddha, Sothis or whomever, please take the spotlight away from me. I felt ready to choke.   
  
“So, new guy!” Caspar began, a certain battle-happy glint in his eye. “You look pretty sturdy, up for a spar?”   
  
Linhardt groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Please, do forgive Caspar’s boundless energy, Alistair, he’s more akin to a hyperactive attack dog than an actual human being.” Seriously, all he was missing was a “I Really Wish I Weren’t Here” button for his coat. Save one for me pal.    
  
“You are another peersman of the sword?” Petra inquired, speaking up for the first time during this little ‘class-meeting’. “It is filling me with great joy to be meeting you, Alistair!”    
  
“Uh, Petra?” Dorothea chuckled nervously. “I think you mean something like ‘It fills me with joy to meet you’.” I couldn’t help but chuckle as well. Honestly, Petra’s attempts at speaking Fodlanese were honestly pretty adorable.    
  
“Well, I for one am glad to make your acquaintance, Alistair!” Ferdinand smiled. “I am Ferdinand von Aegir, future Prime Minister of the Empire!” Ha, he said the line! Upon a closer look at my face however, Ferdinand’s eyes widened just a bit. “Hold on, your family name is “Boramas”, correct?”   
  
“Well, unless something changed in the last couple of minutes since Edelgard introduced me, yes it is,” I say, raising an eyebrow. “Is something wrong?”   
  
Feridnand paused, then shook his head with his usual confident smile. “Oh, it is nothing, pay me no mind, Alistair!” Now if I had a dollar everytime someone has said that so far... But Alistair was raised in Aegir, wasn’t he? Could he and Ferdinand have some history? If so, Alistair’s memories better come through for me, I didn’t want any weird questions on the first day.   
  
“We do have one more student in the Black Eagles,” Edelgard said, looking about the room for whom I could only presume to be Bernie-bear. “But unfortunately, she has elected to stay hidden once more.”   
  
Figures, school year hasn’t even started properly yet, why would Bernadetta want to leave when she was literally just mailed to Garreg Mach in a bag by her mother? I know I’d wanna decompress in my room for a couple of days if I were her.   
  
“All the same”, Edelgard continued, electing to wear a smile. “I do hope you will endeavor to cooperate with your fellow Black Eagles, Alistair. I have many high hopes for your growth.”    
  
_ Bad idea to have faith in me, Princess. _   
  
Getting to actually meet the Black Eagles themselves was certainly something else. Intimidated by Hubert, bewildered by Ferdinand and being challenged to a fight by Caspar all in a single afternoon. Yet underneath all of this, I could still sense the beginnings of what could be charitably described as “bonds”.    
  
So why did I feel so  **out of place?**   
  
_ It’s because you don’t belong here. _   
  
“So!” Caspar exclaimed, looking more antsy than ever before. “Now that the ice has been broken, who’s up for a quick bout?”   
  
Petra’s head tilted at Caspar’s phrase, a bewildered look on her face. “Why have you been breaking the ice, Caspar? Is this a custom I have missed in my studies?”   
  
“Wha-? No, not real ice! Just the ice of… um…” Caspar stammered, trying to find the words to better explain it to her. “It just means getting to know each other.”

  
“This shall be a long year indeed…” Edelgard groaned.   
  


* * *

  
  
Once the house-meeting had been adjourned, we all went our separate ways till dinner. I still needed to find my room and as fate would have it, Seteth was right there to guide me, no doubt having finished he and Rhea’s meeting with Byleth and Jeralt, though I did hear Sothis gasp in surprise along with a teary “Cichol…”    
  
The green haired Saint had changed little from game to reality, still ever the strict and orderly assistant that he was in the game. He still gave off an aura of pure professionalism, reminding me of Frederick from Awakening in a few ways. A man of few words, Seteth led me right to the ground floor dorms, which were certainly a fair bit more spacious than the game had shown. Then again, the entire monastery was far bigger than what the game had shown.   
  
Our first meeting wasn’t exactly what I would call “casual”. It was quick, straightforward and to the point, much like Seteth himself. He was there to guide a new student to the dorms, nothing more, nothing less.   
  
“Right then,” Seteth began, turning to me with his arms crossed. “You are in Room 107, Mr. Boramas. Your things have already been delivered, all that remains is the unpacking, something I have no doubt you can do on your own.”   
  
That reminds me, I had to search through Alistair’s things, maybe get a better idea of who this kid even was.    
  
“Thank you, sir, I can most certainly handle that part myself.” I try to keep my voice calm, though every nerve in my body felt shaky, like I was ready to topple over. What was wrong with me? It wasn't like Seteth was particularly intimidating. “Is there anything else?”   
  
“Just one thing,” Seteth began, his voice taking on a more lecturing tone. “As I am sure you’re aware, due to spacing issues, there is no separation between male and female dormitories. As a young man on the cusp of adulthood, I believe you can understand where I am coming from. Control yourself, young Alistair, particularly among our nobility.”   
  
If Seteth thought I’d try getting my ass into political trouble by sleeping with a noble lady or princess, then he really was going senile. Who was I, Sylvain? Besides, what girl, noble aside, would even be interested in my ass when I had nothing to offer them?   
  
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, ready to head into my room before turning to Seteth. “By the way, with our previous professor having completely run for the hills, when do classes start?”   
  
“Tomorrow, actually. You shall meet your professor tomorrow morning.” Seteth’s voice was a fair bit more strained upon mentioning the new “professor”. Glad to see that Seteth clearly sees that hiring a 21 year old as a professor for your millennia old institution was probably an ill-advised move.   
  
Of course, you couldn’t quite stop the mom-con when she smells a hot, reincarnated dragon milf in her area.    
  
“Then have a pleasant night, Sir Seteth,” I said respectfully, to which Seteth wordlessly nodded before walking away, no doubt more paperwork to do. Though as he walked away, I could have sworn he looked back for a split second at me. Must’ve just been my imagination, I guess.   
  
As I stepped into the room that would be my home for the foreseeable future, I saw a couple of boxes and crates, but nothing major. No doubt that all of these boxes were filled to the brim with Alistair’s things. Alright, let’s get to learning!

* * *

To say that the last few days had been hectic for Seteth would be akin to saying that the sky was blue. First of all, the training exercise. It had been designed with the idea of the three last minute additions to each house learning to work together with their future house leader. Quite simple on paper.   
  
Except only one made it through the entrance exam. And all three house leaders ended up under attack by brigands.    
  
That alone would be bad, but these three house heads were the future of Fodlan itself. If those three had been maimed or worse, it would do far more than just look bad for the Church. The stability of Fodlan itself would be at risk.   
  
Which is why, truthfully, Seteth was actually at least semi-grateful for this “Byleth” stepping in as she did, doubtful though he was of her credentials as a professor for the Officer’s Academy. As Seteth was aware, Byleth looked no older than twenty-three at best. Honestly, were it up to Seteth, he would’ve thanked the mercenary and that would have been that.   
  
Ultimately however, the choice was not up to him, but to Rhea.    
  
Seteth stood outside Rhea’s office, paperwork in hand for the last addition to the main student roster, Alistair Boramas. According to the Miss von Hresvelg, this Alistair had personally defended her life against the brigand group’s leader, a fairly impressive feat for one still so young. 

Though there was something else about Alistair… Something undoubtedly familiar to Seteth. But what was it? It reminded him of before his life as Seteth. As…   
  
‘No, do not go there, Cichol. That is not who you are anymore.’   
  
Seteth knocked on the door twice, before an “Enter,” was heard from the other side. Seteth opened the door, revealing Rhea and her desk covered from head to toe in paperwork.    
  
“Rhea?” Seteth began. “I have brought the paperwork for the final student for the Black Eagles.”   
  
Rhea’s mouth curled up into a smile upon seeing her loyal assistant. “Thank you, Seteth. Sometimes, I do wonder what I would do without you.”

Seteth nodded, placing the papers on the desk. He took a moment before speaking up again, needing to say ‘something’ about the events from over the last few days.   
  
“Rhea, I shall ask you one last time, are you sure about this ‘Byleth’?” Seteth inquired, his voice a bit more stern than one would usually take with the Archbishop herself. “Giving this young woman employment at the Monastery is one thing, but making her a professor? Surely this was not the only option available to you, Rhea?”   
  
“As I’ve said before, Seteth; I have made my decision. I only ask that you give her a chance to prove herself,” Rhea explained, a faint, patient smile adorned on her ageless face. “That, and the situation with Professor Armas has ultimately forced my hand if we are to start the school year on schedule.”   
  
Seteth, begrudgingly, had to agree with Rhea on that point at least. According to the report from Alois, the presumptive new professor had simply decided to turn craven and abandoned the house leaders to their fates. Such behavior was certainly unbecoming for a professor of the Officer’s Academy. And like Rhea had said, it nearly threw the entire school schedule off kilter.    
  
Yet Seteth’s protective familial instincts could not shake the feeling of something off with Byleth. And given Flayn’s attendance of the Officer’s Academy, those instincts had been kicked into what could only be described as an overdrive.   
  
“All the same, I simply advise caution. That is all I shall say on the matter,” Seteth said simply, not wishing to argue the point further. He had given his advice, and Rhea had made her choice. All he could do now was live with said choice.   
  
Rhea simply smiled at her older brother. “And it is most certainly advice that I do heed, Seteth, make no mistake. But come, enough of this topic. What is your assessment of our final Black Eagle?”   
  
Seteth thought back to his first interactions with Alistair. Brief, but the young man was certainly polite at least. “He seems well-mannered and polite,” he began. “His commoner disposition places him in a unique position among many of the Black Eagles, excluding one Dorothrea Arnault. And Edelgard von Hresvelg herself claims that he saved her life during the training incident.”   
  
“Certainly quite the high praise for such a new student,” Rhea chuckled, looking over the papers. “From a blacksmithing family in the Aegir region… Yes it seems everything checks out for this young one, tuition included.”   
  
Seteth, of course, neglected to tell Rhea of the odd feeling he got from Alistair. That was for his own discretion. Because while Byleth elicited more of a sense of distrust, Alistair elicited a feeling of… nostalgia? But that was impossible, the two had never met before.   
  
“Well, at any rate,” Rhea said, looking over the class roster once more. “This year certainly promises to be quite interesting for our three houses.”

* * *

  
It took quite a bit less time than I thought to unpack all of Alistair’s things. Basic things like writing utensils, parchment paper, books, the usual medieval kid starting pack. A quick glance at a few books thankfully put my worst fear to bed. Fodlan’s language and English were literally one for one.    
  
This would make things way less awkward going forward for sure. I mean, who ever puts an illiterate kid in a military academy? And no, Cyril doesn’t count.   
  
The room looked much neater now, spare uniforms hung up by rather basic clothes hangers but they did the job. Books had been put on the desk neatly and all cases and containers were all in one place, ready to be used later.   
  
I was, admittedly, a bit of a neat freak at home. I liked things tidy, and I didn’t like tripping over random crap.    
  
Though now that I was done… where the hell was Sothis? She’d been awfully quiet since my little meeting with Seteth-   
  
Ohhh. Right.   
  
Shit.  
  
“Hey, Sothis?”   
  
That seemed to perk the goddess’ attention. In a small flash of light, Sothis’ adult form appeared, though in an apparition-like state, signifying that only I could see her.   
  
“Hmm? Yes, Cole? What is it?” Her tone was a tiny bit uneven, and I could notice it. Her mind was clearly on other things.    
  
I take a minute to choose my next words carefully, not wishing to upset her anymore than she probably already was. “You… doing okay since we met with Cichol?”    
  
“I…” For once, the Beginning had no words, no witty quip to respond with. And after meeting with her son for the first time in what was probably years, who could blame her?   
  
Sothis finally took a deep breath before turning to me, her gaze just a bit stoney and distant. “He has barely aged a day since we last met, Cole… He was my first child, and yet…”   
  
For perhaps the first time since I’ve met Sothis, game or otherwise, tears began to fall from the goddess’ face, her sorrow clear to see.    
  
“And yet I cannot hold him... I cannot tell him how dearly I miss him, Seiros and all of my children… I can no longer be a mother to him…”   
  
The goddess began to weep more openly, her mask of strength now fully slipped. Maybe Sothis not having her memories was a blessing in canon, because right now? Right now I could practically hear Sothis’ metaphorical heart ache with only the pure love a mother could exhibit.    
  
I take a seat next to her on the bed, trying to give her whatever kind of comfort a hapless nobody like me could give.    
  
I’m not sure whether it was just instinct or simply experience from cheering up my own mother, but I made an attempt to hug Sothis, only to realize that she was still incorporeal and phase through her form.   
  
Sothis shook her head at my display, her voice still teary. “I-It will be fine, child… Go, enjoy your dinner.”   
  
“I can’t just leave you like this, Sothis,” I respond, shaking my head. It didn’t feel right, Sothis needed someone now, more than ever, even if the only person she could speak to was me.    
  
Sothis sniffled, making a clear attempt to forcefully cease her crying. “No, please, I insist. I… require some alone time.” I pause, but ultimately stand up. It tore me up to see Sothis this way, but I wouldn’t force the issue further.   
  
I breathed in through my nose silently before speaking. “Okay, but I’ll be back before you know it, okay? Just… hang in there, okay?”    
  
Sothis wordlessly nodded, watching me as I exited my room. For a moment, I look back to my door, wishing there was some magical words I could say to cheer up Sothis, to try and make her better.    
  
But there wasn’t.    
  
How could I even begin to understand or relate to the incomparable sorrow of a dead mother who couldn’t even talk with her children? What could I even do to make it right? I searched and searched, but found no answer.    
  
I’d eat dinner quickly, I couldn’t just leave Sothis alone like that.    
  


* * *

  
The moment Cole left the room, Sothis allowed the tears to flow once again.    
  
She didn’t even realize that this form even allowed her to cry, but cry she did. She felt powerless, helpless,  **useless** as a mother. When Cole first told her of what Seiros had done all to see her again, Sothis could scarcely believe it. Rewriting history, allowing the hearts and bodies of Sothis’ own children to be used in the ways they had by humanity?    
  
Under any other circumstance, Sothis should have been furious. And she was still very much furious.    
  
But now Sothis felt like she had failed Seiros as a mother.    
  
Seiros was not born into a kind world. She had been born during the conflict with the Agarthan civilization, and there was not much time that could’ve been spent with her, especially by Nabatean standards. Sothis gave up much of her power to heal Fodlan after the war was over, convinced that it wouldn’t take long and that she’d be able to raise Seiros correctly.    
  
And then, according to Cole, Nemesis killed her. Sothis still found it hard to believe that she was dead, but it made sense. No longer could she feel the warmth of her own body, but instead she felt the chill of emptiness, of nothing. And her death alone was enough to spark all of this suffering, this system built off the remains of her children. For Seiros to snap and use Sothis’ very heart to try and revive her. All so a young girl could meet the parent she barely knew.    
  
If only Sothis had more strength…   
  
If only she could’ve been a better mother...   
  
“Seiros… please… forgive me, my child…”   
  
The tears could not stop flowing. 

* * *

  
Rhea paused during her walk toward the opening ceremony dinner. A sudden pang of sadness had smacked against her heart with the force of nature itself.   
  
Rhea… couldn’t quite put her words on it, but it was familiar. Frighteningly so.   
  
Suddenly, a voice rang in her head.   
  
_ “Seiros… please… forgive me, my child…” _   
  
A gasp escaped Rhea’s lips, followed by a tear.    
  
“Mother…?”   
  
A nearby soldier, escorting Rhea to the dinner, paused to turn to his archbishop. That’s when he noticed the tear.    
  
“L-Lady Rhea?! Are you well?”   
  
Rhea was shook back into reality by his voice, wiping the tear away and shaking her head.    
  
“O-Oh, it is nothing. Please, forgive me. Let us continue.”   
  
The soldier still looked rather concerned for her, but he didn’t dare question Rhea’s authority on the matter. “A-As you wish, Lady Rhea.” With nary another word, they continued.    
  
But internally, Rhea’s mind was racing. That was undoubtedly Mother’s voice, but Jeralt and Sitri’s offspring had only just arrived. She could not have possibly become one with Mother so soon, could she?    
  
No… even with the Crest Stone having been inside her for as long as it had, the girl wasn’t fully one with the Goddess just yet. Rhea sensed something else, something just a bit more faint. Something that didn’t originate from Jeralt’s daughter.    
  
_ But why did her mother ask for forgiveness? _   
  
Rhea shook her head. She so desperately wanted to investigate this occurrence, but she had little time to deviate from her plans. For now, she had to put her feelings aside as a child of the Goddess and keep appearances.   
  
For now, she was Rhea, Archbishop of the Church of Seiros.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey people, I wanted to get this out earlier... but as you can see from the state of the world, some delays are kinda expected. Especially me, who works in the grocery industry. But adversity demands adaptation. I just hope this chapter pleases you all.
> 
> We're in real sad Sothis hours right now.
> 
> A warm thanks to all the kudos and pleasant comments, you're all truly wonderful. Stay safe out there.
> 
> We have a Discord, come say hi! Or come shitpost with us; https://discord .gg/9XG3U7a


	4. Class In Session

My first thoughts when entering the dining hall were something along the lines of: ‘...Well, damn.’  
  
The dining hall was more or less the same as the game, though it did feel just a bit more spacious. Three primary tables had been set up made of smaller tables pushed together, separated by the three houses, giving me some rather serious Potter vibes.  
  
And already there were platters of food sets that could rival even some of the fancier restaurants back home. Meat, soups, roasted vegetables, you name it, the dining hall had it.  
  
Given the very real danger that everyone would soon be in, it almost felt like a last supper in a way.  
  
Seems that dinner had already begun by the time I arrived, what with Raphael already chowing down on what appeared to be some kind of pork cut with gusto. Kinda hard to miss that big guy.  
  
“Ah, Alistair!” rang the ever distinct voice of one Ferdinand Von Aegir. Glancing at the Black Eagles table, everyone had already dug into their meals, Caspar having done so rather voraciously, though not quite as much as Raphael. Whereas Raph’s plate was mainly meat with some veggies, Caspar definitely had more of a balance going on.  
  
“Hey, sorry if I was late,” I sheepishly said, rubbing the back of my neck. “Getting my things unpacked took a bit longer than I expected.”  
  
Translation: ‘I didn’t wanna abandon the lonely, crying mother of Fodlan, but kinda had to for newfound social obligations.’  
  
“It is of no bother, Alistair,” Edelgard smiled. “Please, feel free to join us.”  
  
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to socialize with my new classmates, I just wanted to go comfort Sothis. Though considering it was the “opening ceremony”, I doubt I could’ve just walked out without a good excuse.  
  
So I ultimately did sit down, right between Ferdinand and Petra. I distinctly noticed that Bernadetta was here, no doubt because it was a mandatory celebration, but she clearly was focused entirely on her plate, trying to blend into the background like a fly on the wall.  
  
A hearty meat and vegetable soup awaited me, something I hadn’t had in ages. I think it was called “Daphnel Stew” in the game? I couldn’t remember at the moment, because I just began eating like I hadn’t ate in years.  
  
“So,” Dorothea began with a smile, her hands put together in a very Gendo Ikari-like pose. “Considering the absence of who was supposed to be our professor, who do you all think will be teaching us for the next year?”  
  
“It’s gotta be Professor Jeritza!” Caspar quipped, removing himself from his meal just to talk. “He already put a request to teach the Black Eagles personally, but then Professor Armas showed up. I wouldn’t be surprised if they took another look at Professor Jeritza.”  
  
Dorothea hummed for a second before responding. “Oh really? Well, I’m personally hoping Professor Manuela will end up teaching us.” A natural response, a familiar face did wonders for one’s morale after all.  
  
Linhardt actually took the time to rise from slowly eating his meal and give his own input. “Frankly, I just want a professor that will be accommodating to my particular lifestyle.”  
  
“You mean your laziness?” Hubert asked, cocking an eyebrow at the easy-going healer.  
  
“At least I make sure to get a good night’s sleep. Tell me Hubert, has your head ever made contact with a pillow, or were you born looking as if you crawled from a grave?” Linhardt retorted, his meal having been forgotten.  
  
Edelgard groaned, her gloved hands rubbing her temples. “Come now you two, can we not have one meal without some form of argument?”  
  
I opted to zone the conversation out, focusing on my mea and my thoughts. I just hoped Sothis was okay… No doubt that with all of her memories in tow, she was going through heavy stuff. I honestly felt like part of it was my fault, dumping as much info as I could on Sothis regarding everything. It was too much to take in all at once, especially when confronted with the faces of your own children.  
  
All of a sudden, a shake roused me from my stupor. Namely from Ferdinand.  
  
“Alistair! Eyes open, the Archbishop herself is here!”  
  
Wait, Rhea was here personally? I sat up to look and sure enough, there was Rhea in all of her glory, flanked by Seteth and if those drill tails were to be believed, Flayn. The three surviving Nabateans, sans Indech and Macuil of course.  
  
Now I dunno if it was me or what, but whenever I looked at Rhea, I got chills. Chills that usually came from being in the same room as mom-obsessed dragon person whose sanity hung on by a literal thread.  
  
Rhea’s eyes scanned the entire dining hall, her eyes settling on each and every one of us with her gaze pointed at me for a few seconds longer. Finally, she spoke.  
  
“Students of the Officer’s Academy,” she began, her voice gentle yet commanding with the charisma that could only have been built from centuries of experience. “It is with great honor that I welcome each and every one of you to Garreg Mach Monastery. Truly, I can feel the Goddess smile on each of you talented youths.”  
  
If by smile, you mean crying her eyes out, then sure Rhea. 

“Each of you is here for a unique reason. Some of you wish to hone the skills needed to lead the next generation into an age of prosperity. Others wish to expand their horizons, to learn about the world. And others still wish to rise from the bottom, determined to make something of the wonderful chance you have been given. Regardless of where you come from, the grace of the Goddess goes with you all. Tomorrow, your studies will begin in earnest, and each house will be assigned one professor each.”  
  
Most of the students hung on Rhea’s every word, well except two or three, and I was willing to bet a few gold pieces that I could tell who they were.  
  
“But until then, please feel free to enjoy your dinner, and go with the grace of the Goddess.”  
  
A good portion of the dining hall erupted in applause and clapping as Rhea turned to leave, though I merely stared at Rhea’s back. I know Rhea had her reasons for doing what she was doing. But it didn’t change the fact that she needed a good few punches for what she’s done. One for the Crest system that plagued Fodlan, and one for every failed mom-clone.  
  
Then again, there were a good few people in Fodlan who needed a punch.  
  
“So,” Edelgard began, no doubt wishing to shift the conversation away from Rhea. “Have you all decided on what you wish to focus on for your studies?”  
  
“Axes and brawling, no question!” Caspar chipped in, looking more like an excitable chipmunk than a human at the thought of fighting. “I wanna overwhelm the enemy with pure, unrelenting strength!”  
  
“I have always found myself more partial to the lance myself,” Ferdinand added. “I have tried my hand at the sword, but I found that polearms simply suit my noble fighting style far better.”  
  
“I have been knowing how to hold a sword since I have been smaller,” Petra nodded. “Though I have also been of some skill with a bow.”  
  
So, everyone was set on their natural strengths from the game, no deviations. Handy. I would’ve been extremely worried if Ferdinand had taken an interest in being the healer or if Hubert decided to focus on heavy armor. The idea of hearing “I am Ferdinand Von Aegir” as I bled out on the battlefield was… unnerving, to say the least.  
  
As I looked over at the rest of the table, everyone had devolved back into their own personal discussions. Caspar and Linhardt talking about their fathers, Hubert and Edelgard talking in hushed whispers, the works.  
  
As for me… I didn’t really have much to say. I mean, what did I say? I knew who everyone was, what their dreams were, what would ultimately drive them in the years to come. Compared to that, I had nothing. I was the outlier, the black sheep of the group.  
  
Suddenly, a hand gently nudged me to attention, finding that it was Ferdinand of all people who sought to speak with me.  
  
“Pardon me Alistair, but might I ask you a small question?” His question seemed sincere enough, so I nodded.  
  
“As you said before, your family is located within the Aegir region, correct? Might I inquire of the name of your village?”  
  
I froze at this. Fuck… okay, c’mon Alistair’s memories, give me something! Sorting through the near eighteen years that Alistair had been alive up to this point wasn’t exactly easy, but I found it eventually. “Lohr”, it was called.  
  
“Well, the village’s name is Lohr, and we’re a metalworks village. Don’t exactly have a giant load else to say about it, it’s a pretty standard village, Ferdinand,” I said, looking at the Aegir successor as his eyes lit up.  
  
“Lohr…” he pondered, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “I see. I swear I have heard that name before, but where?”  
  
Ferdinand’s pondering proved to be infectious, as I began pondering too. Did Ferdinand visit Lohr as a child? I could hardly say why, because even if the Aegir family had business with Alistair’s, then I assumed it would’ve been handled via a third party. Ferdie’s dad didn’t seem the type to personally come on down to chat with the ‘commoners’, even if it was for matters of arming his private troops.  
  
I try searching Alistair’s memories more, but my head begins to ache from all of the searching. Trying to do this during dinner was a futile effort, I could try and see if Ferdinand and I had ever met in the past before.  
  
Wait… Ferdinand and “I”? That… that didn’t seem quite right. It was Ferdinand and Alista-  
  
“G-Guh!” Suddenly the table erupted into a slight panic. Turning to my right, I found that Caspar had eaten far too fast, choking on his food. His face was turning purple, he grabbed a nearby glass of water and voraciously consumed the drink like his life depended on it.  
  
As the choking subsided, Caspar took a moment to catch his breath before laughing nervously. “G-Guess I was a little too into it, eh Linhardt?”  
  
Linhardt sighed, his face resting in the palm of his hand. “The Black Eagles, everyone. Truly the finest stock among all of Fodlan’s next generation.”  
  


* * *

  
Dinner continued rather routinely, though Ferdinand asked no more of Lohr, which kinda surprised me. When I asked him about it as we left the dining hall, Ferdinand simply smiled and waved his hand. “We can discuss Lohr more freely at another time, Alistair. Until then, pleasant dreams!”  
  
Curiously, Edelgard and Hubert seemed to be wandering off in a different direction from the dorms, no doubt scheming in private to start Edelgard’s war.  
  
Oh yeah… kinda forgot about that. What the hell was I going to do about Edelgard’s war? Could I even do anything about it? Assuming Byleth chose the Black Eagles, there was definitely a chance for Edelgard to become at least a little softer, and we still ultimately take care of the Agarthans… But that means Dimitri and possibly Claude both bite the dust.  
  
Maybe I could try befriending her? I sweep the Flame Emperor off her feet, we ride together and beat the snot out of the Molemen and Rhea’s dumb stupid Crest system and live happily ever after.  
  
Except I was an outsider to a world I had no part in and was woefully out of my depth.  
  
As I entered my dorm room, a brief thought crossed my mind. I don’t think I had checked my newfound appearance yet. I knew I was skinnier and about five years younger, but that was it. As I scanned the room, I found a nearby mirror over my academy-issued dresser. Perfect. I grabbed the mirror and nearly dropped it in shock.  
  
What greeted my vision was a face that wasn’t even remotely close to my own. If anything… I looked almost exactly like Prototype Arthur from Fate. Short, blonde hair, a face free from blemishes, the ideal knight in shining armor. The only difference between me and Saber however laid in the eyes. His were a bright green, mine were as blue as the ocean.  
  
I had to take a step back for a second. Finally, it dawned on me just how different I felt. I felt like a kid having to wear new clothes for the first time, everything didn’t feel right.  
  
And I didn’t know if I could go back to normal or not. Hell, could I even go home? Would anyone be able to recognize me? My mom, my dad? 

I collapsed onto the bed with an unceremonious thud. About seventeen different emotions were all hitting me at once and I wasn’t properly equipped to deal with it. Sleep… maybe sleep would help me. Probably not, but it was worth a try.  
  
I throw the sheets and blankets over my face, allowing my eyes to close and my consciousness to slow down.  
  
“G’night… Sothis…” I mumble, not even knowing if the Goddess even heard me, though I did hear something akin to a “Mmm…” from inside my head, before finally the sweet embrace of sleep claimed me.

* * *

_It was pouring. It was as if the sky itself had split open to release all of the bottled up tears it had bottled up. The land around me was muddy, bloody and mangled bodies stretched well into the horizon. To my left, a woman laid in a crouching position, her once pristine robes muddied and ruined from the battle prior. Her sorrow was palpable, her cries echoing throughout the landscape._ _  
_ _  
_ _To my right, a man steps forward, his own armor dented and covered in sword slashes. He crouches down to place a hand on the woman’s shoulder._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Seiros…” His words are laced with concern and unquestioning love. He prays to whatever force above that he can reach her, help her._ _  
_ _  
_ _Seiros looked up at Wilhelm and steeled herself. Her tears won’t stop flowing, but her crying has stopped. Now her voice was flushed with anger._ _  
_ _  
_ _“I will kill him, Wilhelm... All of them. My mother… my family… that thieving bastard has stolen them all away. And HE WILL PAY!”_

 _Wilhelm nodded, his grip on Seiros’ shoulder never once faltering. “And pay they shall, Seiros. But where do we even begin?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _Seiros begins to stand on her own, her knees still shaky but her will as solid as metal. “We shall rally your troops, and all others who would fight under our banner, and we shall descend upon them like a raging storm.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _Wilhelm blinked. Even with the troops under his family’s banner, he had no idea where they could even get the manpower to oppose the vast army that had invaded Seiros’ home. But Seiros had placed her trust in him, and he would return that trust a thousand-fold if need be._

* * *

My eyes snap open. Again with the dreams, again with the flashbacks. My head isn’t quite ringing like last time, but I certainly felt sweaty and in need of some kind of bath or shower. Just what the hell was going on? Was that the first emperor and Rhea?  
  
As if sensing my thoughts, Sothis appeared. “I too witnessed your dream, young Cole.” Sothis’ eyes looked a touch red, no doubt from all the crying from last night, but her voice remained steady despite it all.  
  
I stretch my arms just a bit to shake off the morning rust, turning to face the Beginning in all of her glory. “Morning to you too, Sothis. Are you… okay?” I trail off a bit, still feeling bad over having left her when she probably needed a shoulder to cry on the most.  
  
But Sothis simply nodded her head. “I will be fine, Cole. My heart aches still, that much I cannot change. But neither can I simply sit here and wallow in my misery while the Agarthans slink around in the darkness, and while my own daughter destroys her own sanity to bring me back.” Her words were strong, her eyes as solid as steel, fitting for the Goddess of the world.  
  
Lord knows I could use a bit of that strength right now.  
  
“If you say so,” I sigh, fixing my hair slightly. “By the way, Sothis… how exactly are we gonna get around the whole ‘communication’ bit in public? I can’t just say that ‘Oh the Goddess is literally speaking to me’, now can I?”  
  
Sothis took a moment to think before turning back to me. “I believe I have an idea… If we are truly as bonded as we are now, then I should be able to hear your thoughts through your mind. Simply think hard enough and I should be able to hear you.” Huh. That simple, eh? Well, it was worth the old college try. Right then… just think something.  
  
‘I’m thinking of a number between one and a hundred, what is it, Sothis?’  
  
“Most likely 50, if we were to divide by two,” Sothis replied, a smug grin adorned on her face. We both smile and nod at each other. Awkward social faux pas, consider yourself avoided!  
  
Suddenly a knock at my door alerted both me and Sothis, causing the Goddess to vanish back into what I assume was my soul. Or my head. Bah, semantics. I force myself out of bed, making sure I’m fully dressed and opening the door to my visitor.  
  
The aide of the future Emperor of Adrestia stood waiting, his chilly, almost serial killer-like aura permeating through the door frame.  
  
“Ah, good, you are awake already then, Alistair,” Hubert said, giving me a curt nod. “Certainly a hair more punctual than some… other classmates of ours.” Given the tone of his voice and the conversation during dinner, I could only assume that Hubert was referring to Linhardt.  
  
“Morning to you too, Hubert. What’s with the morning call, classes start early or something?” I ask as Hubert shook his head.  
  
“No, nothing of the sort. Lady Edelgard merely wishes for her classmates to prepare to look presentable to our new professor. Class begins roughly two hours from now, so I expect you to arrive in such a manner that does not bring shame upon Her Highness. Is that understood?” Hubert asked, though in that tone of voice, it sounded more like a threat.  
  
“Crystal clear,” I said, not wanting to dwell on the topic any further. Hubert simply nodded and marched away, no doubt back to Edelgard or to my fellow Eagles.  
  
Right… first order of business. Who were we gonna get? Byleth? Hanneman? Manuela? I needed a plan for either option regardless but I was placing all Monopoly dollars on Byleth. If not her, then I was down a good few Monopoly dollars and would request a transfer when the opportunity was least suspicious.  
  
But, it wouldn’t come to that, right?  
  


* * *

“Wait, so our new professor is… you?! Huh, I didn’t see that one coming.”  
  
“Easy Caspar, aren’t you being a bit rude?”  
  
Well, as luck would have it, Byleth ultimately did end up choosing the Black Eagles! Looks like we were on either Crimson Flower or Silver Snow, so at least I had an idea of what to expect. So now there was the big question of where I fell under. Do I go with whatever Byleth chose or do I find myself swayed by Edelgard’s-  
  
“Ah! Don’t look at me like that!”  
  
Actually, let’s scratch both of those options for now, because Bernadetta nearly blew out my eardrums.  
  
“Bernadetta…” I groan, turning to face the anxious sharpshooter I didn’t get a chance to speak with last night. “It’s way too early in the morning for screaming like that. Could you maybe lower the volume a bit...?”  
  
Bernadetta turned to face me on a dime, staring at me like I was the fallen angel, Lucifer, here to claim her soul. “O-Oh, you’re… Alistair, right? I-I’m sorry for that…” she mumbled as she turned to look in the opposite direction of me and Byleth, her ears burning red in embarrassment.  
  
Dorothea sighed with a hint of exasperation. “I’m… sorry for the chaos you’ve walked into, Professor Byleth.”  
  
Byleth, for her part, simply blinked at me, then Bernadetta and then Dorothea, simply giving a curt nod. “It is fine. Frankly, compared to my time in my father’s mercenary company, this is rather tame.”  
  
It might’ve been me, but Byleth seemed a touch more… lively, at least when compared to when we first met her. Not as monotone as before. There was even a touch more light in her eyes. Something seemed off about that...  
  
“Hmm… I see. Well then, I hope it wouldn’t be a problem to treat you like one of our own then, Professor?” Ferdinand asked. “In our class, we try to treat each other as equals, regardless of any difference in our age or status. I, for one, would love to include you in that inner circle.”  
  
Byleth nodded at Ferdinand, her face never once moving or changing. “I don’t mind at all,” she says simply.  
  
Petra nodded with a smile. “You have a gut, Professor Byleth. I will take great joy from your teachings.”  
  
“Uh… Petra? I believe you meant to say that our new professor has ‘guts’. That’s a bit different from having a ‘gut’,” Dorothea said, the sweatdrop of embarrassment so visible that it might as well have been crimson red. “You can’t just go around saying a fine woman like our professor has a gut!” she added, a flirty little wink sent Byleth’s way that didn’t even seem to register in her mind.  
  
“Oh? Please take my apologies, I have not yet mastered this language,” Petra bowed, a tinge of red embarrassment on her cheeks.  
  
With a cough, Edelgard stepped forward to address Byleth. “Professor, I want you to know that it’s perfectly acceptable for you to treat me as you do the others. I may be the Imperial princess, but here at the academy, I am just another student.”  
  
“That said,” Edelgard trailed off, a little smug smile on her face. “Know that I have high expectations for you, and high hopes. But I am certain that you can lead the Black Eagles house to greatness.”  
  
Byleth gave a small nod. “Thank you, Edelgard,” she says before taking a deep breath. “I… suppose we should begin, in any case. Please, be seated.”  
  
With that, we all took our seats, mine being right ext to Dorothea and right at the front of the classroom. I… really hated front row seats in school, and that really hadn’t changed here. 

Byleth began to walk to the front of the class with a couple of papers, my own eyes noting a lack of stiffness in her movements. That sense of wrongness came creeping back like an insect. Maybe it was just me, but I always pictured Byleth as a total wreck for her first class, if the Professor Rank from the game was anything to go by. Yet here, she moved gracefully, with purpose.  
  
Byleth began writing on the chalkboard, the words “MOCK BATTLE” written in all capital letters, along with an underline.  
  
“Now then, I understand it might seem a touch odd, but our first major assignment will be a mock battle, in preparation for the Battle of Eagle and Lion later this year. I assume at least some of you are aware?” Most of us nodded, Linhardt already fast asleep and Bernadetta trying to not pass out in her chair.  
  
“Very well then,” Byleth nodded. “This mock battle will be far more casual in scale compared to the Battle of Eagle and Lion, and will take place four days from now. Each team will consist of five members, professor and house leader included. As such, I will be evaluating each of you briefly to determine which three will be chosen to fight alongside Edelgard and I.”  
  
I wasn’t too terribly concerned with the first mock battle to be frank, I was expecting to get my butt handed to me, even if I got past the initial wave. Heck, I imagine that Dedue alone would be enough to mop the floor with my ass. But… well I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to at least try.  
  
“Oh! Does this mean…?” Caspar trailed off with the excitement of a newborn puppy.  
  
“Yes, Caspar, this means we will use some light sparring to determine the roster,” Byleth said, a light sigh escaping her lips. “But we’ll use today primarily as a warm up of sorts, to refresh you all on basic battlefield tactics we will be utilizing in the mock battle.”  
  
Again, there was that confidence that didn’t seem quite right. But… no, Cole, you were probably just overthinking things. Think about it, Byleth was raised in a mercenary company, Jeralt probably drilled this crap into her head till it stuck. That and maybe Seteth just helped her out with a minor lesson plan to get through the mock battle setup.  
  
Byleth then turned to us, a smile on her face. “Any questions?”  
  
…  
  
Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no. That wasn’t right, that wasn’t right at fucking all.  
  
“Very well, let us begin.”  
  


* * *

The rest of class proved to be rather bog standard, just the most basic of basics that I can imagine from a military academy that basically boiled down to “Don’t do anything stupid, stick together and watch your weapon lengths”. I was the first one out, even before Bernadetta. I thought I heard someone call for me, but I didn’t pay them any mind. I needed some privacy, I needed to make sense of what was going on.  
  
As cruel as it sounded on paper, Byleth was not supposed to smile. She wasn’t even supposed to be feeling emotions properly for a good while. Hell, it took her fucking _father_ dying for her to start crying!  
  
All the while, I just kept repeating the same line in my head.  
  
‘Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.’  
  
The moment I shut the door to my room, the annoyed groans of a goddess drew my attention to my bed, the green-haired woman that lived inside my noggin looking quite peeved from having her nap interrupted.  
  
“Were your first day of lessons truly so horrid, Cole? Come now, it is only the first day of clas-”  
  
“Forgive me for panicking, Sothis, but that’s _not_ why I’m freaking out,” I cut Sothis off, reaching for a glass of water I neglected to finish this morning.  
  
Sothis rubbed her ethereal temples with a groan. “Come now, child, take a deep breath and start at the beginning. What happened?”  
  
I collect myself and let out an audible gulp. “Okay… okay… so, I’ve probably told you the basic gist of Byleth, right? The one who’s supposed to be bonded with you.” Sothis nodded, a hand motion urging me to continue.  
  
“Well, the weirdest damn thing happened in class; Byleth smiled.”  
  
Silence. Followed with a raised eyebrow.  
  
“Ex… cuse me?”  
  
I nodded. “You heard me, Sothis.”  
  
Sothis just stared at me for a second like I had grown a second and third head, followed by shaking her head. “So… she smiles? I fail to understand your trepidation, Cole. So the girl smiles! That should be a pleasant thing, no?”  
  
“Sothis,” I began, my patience just slightly beginning to slip from my grasp. “I think I failed to properly explain this back inside my head, so I’ll try to be more clear now. Because Byleth has what is effectively your heart, she isn’t supposed to be feeling proper emotions for months. Hell, it takes Jeralt dying for Byleth to actually cry for the first time in her entire life!”  
  
Sothis simply floated there silently, taking in my every word. “Hmm… when you first explained the current situation, you explained that this was a “video game” or a story back from where you come from, correct? But is it truly so dire that things are beginning to deviate from the original?”  
  
My head felt like it was set to explode from thinking about all of the possible deviations, what-ifs and what not, and Sothis’ seemingly nonchalant attitude wasn’t exactly helping matters. “Sothis, the fact that we’re talking right now is a serious sign that things are changing. If these two things aren’t related, then I’m deepthroating my own sword.”  
  
“While amusing, please perish the thought. Recall that you and I share the same life now, and I’d rather not die again for something so absurd,” Sothis replied, a bit flatly before straightening herself. “I would also advise you to relax for now and not overthink the situation. Even if events are set to derail, there is very little that you alone can do, Cole. So do not allow your mind to falter so easily and be still your beating heart.”  
  
I take a deep breath… Sothis was right of course, I was having a panic attack over something I couldn’t really change. But that didn’t change the worry that other ‘fun’ alterations to canon were just around the corner.  
  
“You’re… you’re right, Sothis, sorry for that display of mine…”  
  
Sothis shook her head, an understanding smile on her face. “It is nothing to apologize for. I appreciate that you are taking the situation seriously, but you cannot kill yourself mentally over-”  
  
A knock at the door once again cut Sothis off. “Oh again?! How many times must people interrupt me before they are satisfied?!”  
  
I ignore her, standing up to open the door. Edelgard stood right in the doorway, with something in her hands.  
  
“Good day to you, Alistair. I do believe you forgot these on your way out,” she smiled as she handed me my forgotten ink, quill and notes from today’s lesson. My face reddened from the embarrassment of having my school stuff be delivered to me like I was nine.  
  
“R-Right… sorry about that,” I choke out as I try not to look Edelgard right in the eye. For her part, Edelgard just stood in my doorway, looking up at me with a poker face that could rival even the finest of Texas hold 'em' players back home.  
  
“With how hurried your exit was, you certainly had us worried. Are you ill, Alistair? If so, I would recommend seeing Professor Manuela at the first opportunity-”  
  
I shook my head, raising my gaze back to the future Adrestian Emperor. “Oh no, Edelgard, it’s not that. It’s… just… uh…” How do I explain to her that I’m freaking out over the fact that my very existence is slowly beginning to throw the plot off the rails?  
  
“Hold on, don’t tell me...” Edelgard said “Are you perhaps nervous over the looming mock battle?”  
  
My beautiful excuse, please wait right there for me, for I shall cherish you dearly!  
  
“I… you got me, your Highness,” I admit, throwing up my hands in defeat. “I know I’ve seen real combat only a couple days ago, even killing some people, but I can’t deny feeling a bit nervous.”  
  
Edelgard shook her head, keeping her confidant smile that was befitting of a leader. “Your fears are unfounded, Alistair. I have full confidence in your potential, there is no reason to be nervous.”  
  
“Well… that’s the thing Edelgard,” I said, trying to force my words to stay steady in my throat. “We’re going to be up against the other houses, yeah? Bandits are one thing, but people like Dimitri, Claude, I’m nothing against those guys. I’m chopped liver.”  
  
Maybe it wasn’t exactly helpful that I was putting myself down, but it was true. Dimitri was born to be a fighter, more akin to a force of nature than a man. Claude, while more of a ranged fighter, far eclipsed any tactical prowess I might have possessed. And Edelgard had the power of two Crests behind her, as well as the will to see her dreams and ambitions through, despite everything she’d been through as a child.  
  
Compared to these three, what was a shitty kid from Florida even worth anyway?  
  
Edelgard looked me over for a second, her expression unreadable, her gaze betraying no emotion. Suddenly, her gloved hand grabbed my own and pulled me out of my room!  
  
“W-Wha-?!”  
  
Her reasoning utterly eluded me, but it seemed that Edelgard was dragging me somewhere, much to the dismay and gossiping of the nearby nameless students.  
  
“Uh, Edelgard…?”  
  
“It would seem that as my first duty as leader of the Black Eagles, I must help you realize that you are not nearly as useless as you may think, Alistair,” Edelgard said, as we approached what I definitely remember as the training grounds for Garreg Mach.  
  
Barely anyone seemed to be here, probably perfect for what Edelgard had in mind. She walked over to a pile of wooden training weapons, tossing me a sword as she held a wooden training axe deftly. Her gaze drilled a hole right through my soul.  
  
“Alistair, I wish for you to come at me, and give no quarter. Because I certainly will not be holding back.”  
  
Would you think any less of me for being just a touch intimidated? Because I certainly felt like it. But Edelgard was already on the other side of the built-in arena, readying her wooden weapon. Well, looks like I didn’t need to wait to get my ass handed to me, because the asswhooping was coming to me, free of charge.  
  
“My, you certainly have a way with women, Cole~”  
  
...If there was anything left of me after this spar, I would kill Sothis myself, I swear it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we are back! With the school year in full swing now, can Cole's knowledge of Three Houses see both him and his classmates through to the end? And what's going on with Byleth? Gotta stayed tuned for more!
> 
> We also have a Discord, come on in, say hi and all that jazz! https://discord.gg/9XG3U7a


	5. Rivalry of the Houses

For what seemed like an eternity, Edelgard and I circled each other around the arena, each of us waiting for who would make the first move. Her lavender orbs scanned me from hair to toe, trying to identify any weakness in my stance. I, for one, kept a neutral stance, ready to switch from a low to a high guard whenever possible.  
  
My goal was pretty simple. Just try to outlast Edelgard, don’t be overly aggressive, and take advantage of any mistakes she’d make.  
  
With speed that none of the bandits showed in my first battle, the Flame Emperor leapt forward, her axe ready to lash out horizontally. I manage to block, but only barely. Not missing a beat, she dropped her stance slightly, bringing her fake axe up in an uppercut-like motion that knocked the wind out of my sails.  
  
Edelgard was nothing like the bandits or Kostas. Even when facing her classmates, her every move seemed calculated in an advance, with barely any energy wasted. In just about every way, she out-matched me, shattering my plan into tiny bite-sized pieces.  
  
“Were this a real battle, your head would have been cleaved in two like an apple, Alistair.” Her voice seemed almost frustrated with me, like a parent looking at her child trying to frantically explain the D- and F on their report card.  
  
“Your main flaw is your passivity. Look at your weapon, if you will,” Edelgard explained, pointing to my training sword. “Every weapon has their strength and drawbacks. For example, take my axe. An axe is strong, durable, and perfectly suited for taking on armored targets. Against a lance, it may lack in range, but with a well timed strike, an axe could cleanly cleave a basic lance in two.”  
  
Wait… was Edelgard teaching me about the weapon triangle? Huh, that was nifty. Guess it did has its place in Three Houses after all.  
  
“Yet there is one very basic drawback of an axe, Alistair. Would you care to tell me what that might be?”  
  
The answer was pretty damn obvious if you were to ever look at a battle axe or hold one.  
  
“Is it speed?”  
  
Edelgard nodded, smiling. “Correct. The biggest drawback for this power is a lack of agility, meaning that every strike must be thought out well ahead. The sword, meanwhile, is lighter, and allows for its user to better capitalize on your opponent’s mistakes.”  
  
As much as I didn’t want to think back to my first battle, my second victim drifts back into memory. His large, telegraphed swing was enough to seal his own fate, and give me a window of opportunity to strike.  
  
“Now then,” Edelgard began, swinging her practice weapon. “We will begin again, but keep in mind what you have learned, and do not just stand there expecting to parry every blow. Begin!”  
  
Once again, Edelgard was on me, but this time, I managed to dodge the attack, using the loss of Edelgard’s momentum to my advantage to land a strike against her back! I actually got her!  
  
“Nngh! Well placed, Alistair, but now here is where the true battle begins!” With that, Edelgard turned on a dime, commiting to a large, overhead swing that threatened to crack my noggin like an egg. I side step, but Edelgard was prepared, catching me off guard by striking my chest with her wooden axe blade.  
  
Minor bruise, nothing serious. Shake it off, try again. This time I opt to make the first move, forcing Edelgard on the defensive as I keep changing the direction of my strikes, trying to keep her on the defensive. But all this did was earn me another trip to the floor.  
  
“Do not simply swing your weapon around haphazardly. The only thing flailing around will accomplish is simply waste your own strength. Each attack must be made with purpose, you cannot afford to draw out an encounter, especially on the battlefield,” Edelgard said as she loomed over me, looking taller than she actually was.  
  
“Now, stand up!”  
  
I was going to be sporting so many fucking bruises by the end of this.

* * *

For two hours, Edelgard and I sparred. Sometimes I managed to get a hit in, but it was pretty clear who scored the most blows between us, and it wasn’t me. Sitting on a nearby bench, I allow myself to catch my breath and nurse my bruises. I wasn’t a total stranger to getting hurt, but it still felt so… foreign to be training like this. To be training for war.  
  
But if nothing else, I felt like I was… improving, I guess. Can’t get better without some scrapes and bruises along the way, that’s what dad always taught me.  
  
Edelgard took a seat right next to me, barely even fazed by the day’s activities. “Well, at least you know not to simply give up. I admire that tenacity, Alistair.”

I chuckled and groaned as I held a bruise on my arm. “Jeez Edelgard, did you have to go all out on me on the first day of school?”  
  
“I thought I made it clear that I wouldn’t be holding back? At any rate, I think I have proved my point, you’re far from useless if you are able to hold your own against me.”  
  
“Edelgard…” I chuckled. “I’d need at least five different arms to count how many times you whacked me in the face with that training axe of yours. I’m not sure if that counts as ‘Holding my own’.”  
  
Edelgard shook her head, pointing to one of my bruises. “Alistair, do you recall what I said to you during the exercise with our old professor? ‘Even the most seasoned of sword users have much to learn’. Do you think that someone like Thunder Catherine was born a natural genius with a blade? No, she wasn’t. Nearly every great warrior in history had to earn their strength and fame.”  
  
I try to say something, anything, but the words die in my throat. I had no counter to her argument, because Edelgard was almost right. Except for one thing.  
  
“Claude, Dimitri and you were born with Crests though. That alone gives you a huge advantage over me.”  
  
For once in the time I have known her personally, Edelgard looked actually mad.  
  
"And what of the accomplishments of humanity before the Goddess alighted the land? Nemesis and the Ten Elites were said to have received the blessings of the Goddess, but were they only worthy of that blessing after receiving it? Or did they earn that blessing through their own merits?”  
  
I blinked and nearly recoiled by the suddenness of her speech. I don’t think Edelgard was really mad at me, I think she was mainly mad at this broken system Rhea devised. In the end, I suppose I could see why Rhea did what she did, she wanted to keep humans organized, from spiraling out of control and hunting down the rest of her kind.  
  
But that very same system has become something that’s arguably even worse.  
  
“A Crest is a boon, nothing more. While possessing one does provide its benefits, it is not the sole deciding factor for greatness. Fodlan's history, and even its present, is laden with Crest-bearing individuals who have done nothing for Fodlan, aside from furthering their own ends. By that same token, the opposite is also true,” Edelgard continued, reigning in her bubbling anger and bringing her voice down to a calmer pitch.  
  
“People without Crests are just as capable, and in many ways, may even be more capable than many Crest bearers. If you believe you lack the inner strength to excel, then you will have to prove it to me, because I believe you are more powerful than you could possibly imagine."  
  
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that Edelgard was born giving a speech. Her words flowed like honey from a bee hive, her conviction in said words sturdier than any suit of armor in Fodlan.  
  
But I still didn’t quite get something.  
  
“Edelgard? Can I ask you one more question?” I was answered with a curt nod. “Why are you so darn interested in someone like me to begin with? I don’t get it.”  
  
Edelgard didn’t miss a beat in answering. “Because you saved my life. At the risk of your own safety, you held your ground against a man twice your size and weight to save me. The very least I could do is help you become the best warrior you can be.”  
  
I had to admit… being praised by Edelgard like this? It was a nice feeling. But it was also my wake-up call, I suppose. This wasn’t just a major character from the game anymore, she was real, and she was my house leader.  
  
This was the new normal.  
  
Edelgard sat up, brushing her hair off her shoulder and facing me with a small smile. “Never stop wanting to improve, Alistair. I mean every word when I say that you show great promise.” And with that, she walked off without another word.  
  
For just a few minutes, I could ignore the things Edelgard would do in the future, how far she would go to achieve her own ambitions and use the advice that she’s given me. She was right. I’d only be truly useless if I just sat around moping about how awesome and useful the main characters were compared to me.  
  
If I wanted to survive, I’d need to pull my balls up and be a big boy. Edelgard thinks I have potential? I’d tap into as much potential as I possibly could with this body.  
  
Look out world, here comes Alistair Boramas!

* * *

Sun Tzu once said; “A battle is won before it is fought”, owing to the nitty gritty details of battle planning and stratagems. As a result, Byleth’s lesson today was focused primarily on basic formation and maneuvers.  
  
“Now then, we’re going to go over basic battle formations, namely for squad based combat,” Byleth began, writing down the title of the lesson, “SQUAD BASED WARFARE” on the chalkboard.  
  
“Can anyone tell me who is the first and last to charge on the battlefield?” A hand instantly shot up, Ferdinand’s hand.  
  
“Yes, Ferdinand?”  
  
“The spearmen are the first to charge, with any mage or archer unit being the last to charge. The spearmen are the first due to the superior range of their weaponry and the ranged units are last due to… well, being ranged based units!” Ferdinand’s confidence in his answer permeated throughout the classroom, eliciting a small chuckle from Byleth.  
  
“You are not entirely mistaken, Ferdinand, but there is more to it than that.”

Byleth turned her back to use, using the chalk to draw what I could describe as some kind of formation, like the kind football coaches use to draw up a game plan. Nine circles dotted the board, three at the front, two in the center and three in back.  
  
“Let us assume that these circles represent all of you, not including myself. Ferdinand is correct in assuming that the unit with the longer reach should usually move first, but against more organized enemy forces, they will no doubt be expecting that very tactic.”  
  
To our surprise, Byleth began to erase the formation she had just drawn, turning to us with a serious expression on her face.   
  
"It is important to always have some form of plan, but the battlefield is a chaotic, finicky thing that is prone to changing on a mere whim. You must be open to flexibility and new ideas. Anything can go wrong in a matter of seconds.”  
  
Caspar, no doubt being the student least interested in tactics among the Black Eagles, naturally perked up at Byleth’s words. “So, what you’re saying is that we can wing it, right professor?”  
  
If Linhardt wasn’t so lazy, he might’ve actually slammed his own face into the desk. However, given that he was probably too lazy, the Hevring heir simply opted to groan in annoyance.  
  
“Caspar… that’s not what the Professor is saying at all.”  
  
Feeling a bit bad for Linhardt, I turn around to face the hot blooded axe brawler myself. “Caspar, what the Professor is trying to say is that you _should_ have a plan for how you fight, but that you also need to be open to improvisation if anything goes wrong.”  
  
“Ohhhhh,” Caspar hummed, nodding. “Okay, I think I see what you’re putting out here!” I highly doubted it, but so long as he wasn’t doing anything stupid, I guess we were okay for now.  
  
“Precisely what I had in mind, Mr. Boramas,” Byleth nodded, before reaching from under her desk and grabbing a small stack of papers. “Which is why I have elected to prepare a small exam as a first test of your decision making abilities.”  
  
A collective groan filled the room, along with a terrified squeak from Bernadetta. “E-Exam?! Oh no, no no, I’m not mentally prepared for an exam on the second day of class!”  
  
Byleth raised her right hand to calm the class down, through Bernadetta’s audible babbles could still be heard. “Don’t panic, this isn't graded. It’s essentially a practice sheet filled with hypothetical scenarios you are likely to encounter while on a mission or in the heat of battle,” she said, beginning to walk and hand us our copies.  
  
“Being strong is only the first step toward securing victory in the field. You must be able to think rationally and be able to make tough calls on the off chance they do arise. Not only that, but you must be able to make those choices decisively.” 

Byleth walked back to the front of the classroom, turning to face us with her arms folded.  
  
“I’ll give you all roughly an hour to finish, starting now. Good luck.”  
  
WIth that, Byleth sat back in her desk, watching us all silently, a bit more like how she was supposed to be. Right then… a practice test. I could manage that much, hopefully. I readied my quill and took a look at the first question.  
  
**1) Following the capture of a heavily fortified fort, your army is ready to march once more. But as soon as you’re on the trail, an arrow finds its way into the stomach of a close ally, and a valuable scout. This march is vital to your campaign, yet without a scout, planning for the next possible skirmish will prove more difficult. Do you leave him behind, or insist on saving him? Decide on the best course of action and justify your answer in a short paragraph. Keep in mind limited amounts of medical supplies.** **  
** **  
** Huh, really did feel like high school all over again. I scratched my chin and pondered the question. Having eyes on the battlefield and enemy formations was key in any war, hours of Nobunaga’s Ambition drilled that much into my fat head. But did we not have any other scouts in this scenario? Just the one?  
  
Hmm…  
  
No time to ponder, just think of an answer, Alist- er, Cole! In an almost scrambling like fashion, I write;  
  
**I opt to use some healing to save our scout. Understanding the terrain of any upcoming battlefield or possible enemy formations is absolutely vital to the success of any long term campaign. One less scout, in short, will translate to a much more difficult time trying to come up with strategies for the war effort.** **  
** **  
** Seemed to check out for me. If this was a practice test then there were probably no wrong answers. Unless Byleth wanted us to think that and wanted it to be a surprise. But Byleth wouldn’t do that, right?  
  
...Right?  
  
...Let’s just move on.

* * *

  
I was the third to hand in their test, after Edelgard and Hubert anyway. I knew it was a practice test and all, but I couldn’t help but feel a touch anxious on how Byleth would judge my answers. Then again, I was always like this with any test back home… Damned nerves.  
  
I sat in silence as everyone else finished their test, thinking hard on some of the questions… Interrogation, prisoner exchange, having to decide who lives and who dies, those were just some of the things I’d have to deal with during the war phase, assuming I lasted that long.  
  
_You won’t last that long._ _  
_ _  
_ No, no, bad voices in my head, shut it. I couldn’t think like that now, this was my life now and I had to prepare for it, as much as I really didn't want to.  
  
Bernadetta was the last student to hand in their test, her hands shaking so hard that they were threatening to fall from the poor girl’s wrists. Byleth, being this new, emotional Byleth that she was, just flashed an understanding nod and smile as she took Bernadetta’s paper, who then proceeded to hurry back to her seat with nary another word.  
  
“Excellent, thank you, everyone. By tomorrow, I shall announce who shall be participating in the mock battle, using these answers as part of my decision making.”  
  
With those words being said, the bell rang to signal the end of class, bringing with it a sense of relief I hadn’t felt since high school whenever class ended.

“Oh, before you leave Mr. Boramas, I’d like to have a small chat with you.”  
  
And just as soon as it arrived, my sense of relief faded away like a summer’s kiss. I turned to face the dark blue haired professor as the other students turned to leave, no doubt to further prepare for the mock battle.  
  
As I approached her desk, I began to notice what seemed to be small bags underneath Byleth’s eyes, probably as a result of having to come up with lesson plans on the fly. Even if she was from another timeline, Byleth still had to be a teacher at the end of the day, something for which I don’t envy her for.  
  
“I don’t believe we’ve had a chance to properly talk ever since Remire Village, have we, Alistair?” Byleth asked, placing her hands on her desk as I shifted slightly.  
  
“RIght, and I don’t think I adequately thanked you for saving me from that brigand leader, have I, Professor?”  
  
Byleth shook her head. “Think nothing of it, I saw an ally in danger and moved to remove that danger element,” she said.  
  
I chuckled nervously as I scratched the back of my head. “That easy, huh? Speaking of moving, I saw the way you moved around in that battle. There wasn’t a single movement or attack wasted, it was inspiring.”  
  
A small chuckle escaped Byleth’s lips. “Flattery will get you nowhere. But that aside, how are you feeling, Alistair?”  
  
I allow a puzzled look to grace my features as I pondered Byleth’s question. “Feeling? I’m sorry, Professor Byleth, I don’t think I follow.”  
  
“I mean in regards to your mental state,” Byleth said, this time her face and tone a little more serious and fitting to her character. “Unless I misheard, that was your first time in a real battle, your first time taking a life.”  
  
My stomach drops like a rock when Byleth reminds me of my first battle, my first two kills, my-  
  
_“YOU’LL DIE!”_ _  
_ _  
_ Bout with Kostas… And there was more of it on the way.  
  
Fun times at Garreg Mach.   
  
“You… you would be right on that, Professor. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t lingering on my mind.”  
  
Byleth’s expression didn’t change, almost like she was back to how she was supposed to be at this point in the game. “I see.” She stood up, her hand gliding over her desk as she walked.  
  
“Professor Byleth,” I began, clearing my throat to make sure that I didn’t choke on my own words. “With all due respect, why are you bringing it up now?”  
  
Byleth turned her back to me, looking out the window and staring at the endless blue sky, the sun shining across her pale skin. I couldn’t see her eyes, but I could only imagine how wistful they probably looked. “Because soon, many of your peers will be thrust into battle for the first time, tossed into a ‘kill or be killed’ scenario. Soon, they will experience that same horror that you have experienced.”  
  
Turning back to face me, Byleth’s face suddenly looked as if she had aged several decades, at least metaphorically. Her eyes now seemed more dull, lifeless.  
  
“Do you know what people called me while I was a mercenary, Alistair? ‘The Ashen Demon’. I was twelve years old when I first took a life, and for the longest time, I’ve had... issues in properly expressing emotion.”  
  
Well, that explained her demeanor back at Remire, but what the heck’s changed?  
  
“I do recall you being quite a bit more… well, if you’ll forgive me for saying this, lifeless when we first met a few days ago, Professor,” I said.  
  
Byleth let out a sigh as she collapsed into her seat. “That’s certainly one word for it, I suppose. But my point still stands; I do not want any of you to become the next ‘Ashen Demon’. It’s one thing to understand that sometimes you must take a life to preserve your own, or to protect those who you cherish, but you cannot forsake your own humanity. Do you understand me, Alistair?”

I tried to find some type of hidden meaning in Byleth’s words, but couldn’t find anything, except for the fact that Byleth clearly has seen more than a woman should have seen by twenty-two or however old Byleth was. No sir, Byleth’s eyes held the wisdom of a woman well beyond her own years.

“I understand, Professor.”  
  
“Good,” Byleth nodded, a smile on her face once more. “That’s all I wanted to say.”  
  
Guess that was that… I suppose. I nodded and began to turn around, ready to walk out of the classroom when I paused.  
  
“By the way… Professor Byleth? Who exactly did you have in mind for the mock battle?”

* * *

  
“Excuse me, _Professor?_ ”  
  
Byleth’s expression betrayed no emotion as the class, and by extension the last hour, before the mock battle began. “You heard me correctly, Hubert. Aside from Edelgard and myself, I have elected that Ferdinand, Dorothea and Alistair will participate in the first mock battle.”  
  
If looks could kill, then Byleth would most certainly be nothing but a pile of ashes right now, for Hubert’s gaze narrowed to the pinpoint prick of a blade.   
  
“Would you care to explain your reasoning, then?” Hubert asked, though it sounded a bit more like a demand. The man looked as though Byleth had just insulted his very essence, his way of life. From a certain point of view, she probably did.  
  
And for once, I actually kinda agreed with Hubert, at least from a strategic point of view. Me, Byleth, Edelgard and Ferdinand were all close ranged fighters. That left Dorothea as the odd one out, our only means of ranged support with her beginning levels of magic. We didn't even have Linhardt for the free heals.  
  
“Peace, Hubert,” Edelgard said as she stepped in front of her royal retainer. “I was the one who requested that Alistair take part in this battle.”  
  
Hubert’s eyes turned to his liege as his expression softened just a bit. “Lady Edelgard?”  
  
Edelgard, as always, never wavered in her expression, even when facing her most stalwart retainer. “The professor needs a bit more help in assessing Alistair’s progress in his training, and as such, I thought it prudent to allow him to participate in the mock battle. That is all.”  
  
Much like a puppy being reprimanded by its owner, Hubert backed down, though not before shooting me an ever so dirty glare. “Very well then, Lady Edelgard.”  
  
Ignoring the fact that Hubert was more than likely to slit my throat if we lost, I felt an incredible amount of pressure on me. This was it, my big chance to not fuck up in front of a literal live-studio audience. I’d either walk out of the mock battle a champ, or Hubert adds another notch to his magical spells.  
  
...Could you even add notches to spells? ...Guess you could keep a list but that wasn’t much fun.  
  
The early bell rang soon after going the basic conduct of the mock battle, signaling the end of class and the signal to head down to the nearby field outside of the monsterary town.  
  
“Right… do or die time, I guess,” I sighed before a gloved hand gave me a hearty, but friendly slap on the shoulder.  
  
“Worry not, Alistair!” Came the voice of Ferdinand. “We are not only members of the Black Eagles, but also men of Aegir! This is a prime opportunity to show the other two houses what we are capable of accomplishing!”  
  
I’d give Ferdinand some credit at least, the guy was amazing at making you feel good when he actually wanted to. It was practically impossible to stop the smile that formed on my face right there and then.  
  
“Well,” Dorothea began. “If the Professor is placing that much faith in us, it would only be right to repay that faith in full, wouldn’t it?”  
  
“Well, I’m certainly glad you all are up to the challenge,” Byleth said, smiling at the three of us. “But we do have to get going if we are to be on time.”  
  
Edelgard nodded. “Of course, Professor Byleth.” She then turned to us, her long, snow white hair moving along with her. “Come, members of the Black Eagles! It is time to prove our dominance to the whole of Garreg Mach!”  
  
If I was even remotely confident in myself, I’d try saying something badass myself, like… I dunno… “There can be only one!” But something inside me didn’t want to steal Edelgard’s thunder.  
  
Besides, I had my own issues to worry about.

* * *

After a private last minute meeting with Edelgard, Byleth was ready to lead us down to the field where the battle would take place. It was just a way outside of the monastery town proper, and if I had to guess, it was roughly afternoon by the time we got there.  
  
The Blue Lions and Golden Deer had opted to join us for some ever so friendly rival house banter. Or to just talk shit because they could.  
  
In Lorenz Hellman Gloucester’s case, it was to talk shit to his own house leader.  
  
“For the record, Claude, none of your shallow and underhanded tactics will be required here. Ignatz and I shall be more than enough to dismantle the opposition.”  
  
Poor Ignatz just stammered and stumbled over his words. “M-Me?! But I’m not ready!” The meek artist archer said.  
  
“Are you already making light of our new professor and her class, Lorenz?” Claude sighed as he tested the weight of the practice bow he had been given. “If you go underestimating them, you’re just gonna get hurt.”  
  
“Geez, already at it you two?” Hilda sighed and rolled her eyes. The pink haired axe specialists simply let out a lazy, tired yawn as she stretched her back. “I’d probably save it for the actual fight, but that’s just me.”  
  
...The Golden Deer were just as much of a band of misfits in real life as they were in the game itself. 

By comparison, the Blue Lions had proved to be quite sporting about the whole thing, Dimitri and Ashe even giving us a smile and firm handshake, followed by the whole “May the best house win” spiel. I honestly wouldn’t expect any less from a nation built on chivalry.  
  
Finally we had arrived, and took our positions promptly. We, the Black Eagles, took up a position on the south side of the field, the Blue Lions in the north and the Golden Deer in the north west, divided by a small bunch of trees, just like in the game. And if this battle was anything like the game version, that meant Claude and Hilda were in that tree line, flanked by Manuela.  
  
I took a deep breath, already taking a stance with my training sword as the lot of us made our final preparations.  
  
“The mock battle is finally upon us, Professor Byleth,” Edelgard smiled. “Will you lead us to victory?”  
  
Byleth readied her training sword, her face betraying no emotion, just like back in Remire. “I fully intend to.”  
  
‘Jeez…’ I thought. ‘Someone sure is confidant.’  
  
Jeralt, riding up in the middle of the field, raising his right hand up to the air. Right… forgot Jeralt was overseeing the mock battle. Seteth was probably somewhere too, though I’m not sure if Rhea would be present for such a small-scale mock battle. Maybe she was busy with Church stuff.  
  
“Is everyone prepared?” Jeralt called out, with various shouts of yes and nods answering his question. “Right then… let the first mock battle of the houses… begin!”  
  
Without missing a beat, Lorenz and Ignatz burst from the treeline, no doubt Lorenz acting against Claude’s orders and Ignatz being sent to cover his noble ass. Meanwhile, Ashe of all people was heading to our position, being flanked by no one from his house. An obvious ploy to lure us.  
  
“Alistair, Ferdinand,” Byleth commanded. “Stop the Golden Deers’ advance, we shall handle the lone Lion.” With that, she, Edelgard and Dorothea were off to the races, though not straying too far as to leave me and Ferdinand to the wind.  
  
Lorenz was on me quickly, forcing me to parry his thrust while Ferdinand raced past the Alliance noble to close the gap between him and Ignatz. For just one second, I thought Lorenz would actually turn his back to try and protect his classmate, but he seemed to quickly realize that would just leave his back open to me.  
  
“Hah!” Lorenz exclaimed, hoping to catch me off guard with a horizontal swipe with his training lance. The move was rather oddly telegraphed, almost amateurish compared to Dimitri or even Ferdinand. But then I recall that Lorenz apparently had been studying at a school for magic in the Kingdom before the game started, so that’s probably why Lorenz seemed just a smidgen off. He wasn’t used to the weight of a lance.  
  
I delivered a low strike with my wooden blade, knocking him off balance and had the blade pointed to his neck, signifying his defeat.  
  
“I-I lost...? Oh, unthinkable!” Lorenz groaned dramatically, with a higher pitch than I think he intended to use. Had to admit, I honestly assumed Lorenz would’ve put up more of a fight, or that my inexperience fighting lance users would’ve given him a better advantage. Was this just me getting better? Or just Lorenz’s preference for magic? Frankly, I couldn’t tell.  
  
Feeling a bit sorry for the haughty nobleman, I offer him a hand. “Better places to nurse your wounds than on the ground, y’know.”  
  
Lorenz was not amused in the slightest. “You beat me and now you mock me? Do the Black Eagles have even a smidgen of dignity?”  
  
“I wasn’t trying to mock you, really. I’m just offering you a hand is all,” I shrug. Lorenz, to his credit, didn’t really fuss after that, taking my hand as I helped him up.  
  
“Well... I suppose I must concede, the new professor is certainly not lax in her teachings. Well fought… Alistair, was it not?” He asked as I nodded in response. “I see. But there is little time to chat, there is still a battle raging, after all. Farewell.” With that, Lorenz walked over to Ignatz, who had been soundly defeated by Ferdinand’s spearwork, and the two made their way off the battlefield to rejoin the rest of their class, who had been spectating.  
  
“Excellent work you two,” Byleth’s voice rang as she and the others rejoined with me and Ferdinand. “Three left for the Deer and four for the Lions.”  
  
“Don’t be quoting me on this, but that initial assault from the Deer was just the start,” I said. “The rest of them have to be holding up in that small treeline. Problem is, a direct assault on the forest will just be countered by Claude’s marksmanship and Professor Manuela’s magic.”  
  
“Yet ignoring the rest of the Deer will leave our flanks wide open if we simply charge at Dimitri’s position…” Edelgard mused. “I propose a plan. Dorothea and Alistair shall move to flank Claude’s position while the rest of us draw his attention by feigning a charge against the Blue Lions.”  
  
Bold plan, but risky. Would Claude even take the bait? Heck, what if Dimitri decided to charge at the exact same time? It’d be three against four until me and Dorothea knocked out Claude and Hilda, and that was only if we won.  
  
“Dorothea, Alistair, do you have any objections?” Byleth asked, turning to face the two of us.  
  
“It’s not a bad plan, but will you three be okay while me and Alistair are away?” Dorothea inquired.  
  
“A man of Aegir is worth at least two normal men! We hold the line with steadfast resolve, Dorothea!” Ferdinand boasted with a smile, causing Dorothea to groan.  
  
“We shall manage just fine,” Edelgard added. “However, time is of the essence here, and be sure not to be spotted, or else Claude will surely figure out our stratagem.”  
  
With a curt nod, Byleth, Edelgard and Ferdinand quickly took up positions in front of the Blue Lions, leaving me and Dorothea to begin sneaking around Claude and presumably Hilda’s positions. Stealth was at the forefront of our minds as we slowly crept around and into the treeline behind Claude. As we crouched down in a bush, our vision soon fell onto the leader of the Golden Deer himself.  
  
“Are they seriously gonna fight two houses at the same time? That’s pretty commendable!” Claude chuckled as he readied his bow.  
  
“Alright… just leave it to me, Ali!” Dorothea smiled with a quiet tone. As I looked at Claude though, I realized something was off.  
  
“Hold on…” I stopped Dorothea, my arm stretched out in front of her as she readied a Fire spell. “Where the heck is Hilda?”  
  
“Gotcha~!”  
  
My eyes widened as a cheerful, chipper female voice rang behind us. Even though this was a mock battle, my blood ran cold as I grabbed Dorothea’s hand.  
  
“Get down!” I exclaimed, pulling the two of us out of the bush and into the open just as Hilda’s wooden axe swung horizontally. A small chuckle escapes the young man in front of us as Claude twirled a practice arrow gracefully in his hands.  
  
“Gotta hand it to Teach, I almost didn’t see that one coming. But, c’mon Alistair, you really don’t think I wouldn’t have noticed two people missing from the group?” Claude smirked as me and Dorothea caught our breath.  
  
“Lesson learned, I suppose,” I panted, nodding as I moved to turn around and face Hilda. Dorothea only had a second to unsheathe her practice sword to deal with Claude’s own weapon, an odd tactic considering he was primarily an archer, but I suppose it was a matter of not wanting to get out-zoned.  
  
Right… Hilda certainly loved to play up the helpless damsel act, but that’s all it really was, an act. If Hilda really put her mind to it, I honestly don’t think even Raphael could stop her, she just had that much potential. If I had to compare the two, Raphael was the unstoppable force, and Hilda was the unstoppable force, but armed with an AK-47.

  
Hence why I wasn’t even bothering to block her swings. My fight with Kostas and my training with Edelgard taught me a very valuable lesson in dealing with axe users. Do not try to block them, you will eventually be overpowered. I had to use Hilda’s movement against her in this situation. A bit of practice against Caspar helped, but Hilda certainly had her own unique spin on axe combat compared to Caspar. Literally, the woman was twirling the practice axe like a baton.  
  
“C’mon, stay still! You’re making me work!”  
  
I took a deep breath, visualizing all possible angles of attack, deciding that a feint would be effective here. Hilda wasn’t unobservant, but I simply figured that if I did it fast enough, I could land a solid hit in. This I charged forward, hoping to catch the Goneril off guard. However, much to my shock, Hilda rather effortlessly parried my blow, the training axe she held smacking me across the face.  
  
“Now now, Alistair~ Girls don’t like it when you try to force the situation~”  
  
I let out a muffled growl, shaking my head as I readjusted my stance. I couldn’t let her get to me, that’s just what she wanted. Okay, c’mon Cole… think here…  
  
“Hmm… the girl is skilled, no mistake about that,” Sothis chimed in mentally. “But if movement is the key, perhaps you should let the lady make the first move, Cole.”  
  
‘So... a counter attack then? Not a bad plan, Sothis, for you.’  
  
“And what is that supposed to mean?! Ugh… never mind, I shall save it for later. For now, just win!”  
  
Heh. The literal Goddess of Time could certainly dish out the insults, but it looks like she couldn’t take them. Well regardless, I began to keep my distance away from the axe wielding spoiled brat. Hilda just raised an eyebrow, clearly confused by my action, or lack thereof.  
  
“Um… are you not gonna attack?” Hilda asked, tilting her head in confusion. Again, I kept quiet, waiting for that golden chance to strike back.  
  
“Hellooooo? Fodlan to Alistair?”  
  
Sighing, Hilda just moved her weapon into an attack position. “Well, I guess I’ll be taking the win!” Charging forth, she readied her axe, content to commit to a wide horizontal swing. There was my chance! Falling into a roll, I manage to reorient my sense of direction, delivering a good few whacks to Hilda’s back, sending the girl tumbling to the ground with a loud grunt.  
  
Had to thank Caspar for that idea.  
  
“Ugh…”, Hilda groaned, rolling onto her back. “Was that… really necessary?”  
  
“About as necessary as I saw things. Think that’ll be my win, actually,” I pant, allowing a small smirk to cross my face.  
  
“Ah, about that, Alistair!”  
  
Oh… shit. Turning around, I saw Claude whistling a casual tune as Dorothea nursed various bruises that graced her body. Clearly I hadn’t been paying attention to Claude at all, all of my attention was drawn on Hilda. This was definitely bad…  
  
“Ugh… sorry, Ali, I really should’ve stayed back, huh?” Dorothea said, nursing her cheek.  
  
“Hold on, Dorothea, why didn’t you use your Fire?”  
  
Dorothea just shambled over to me, looking at my face as if I’d grown ten separate heads. “Huh? In this kind of environment? No thanks, Ali, I’m not gonna risk a forest fire just for one mock battle!”  
  
That… was a fair point, actually. We weren’t operating by game logic here after all, one misplaced Fire spell could easily strike a tree and cause some serious problems for our strategy. That and I doubt Rhea and Seteth would be terribly pleased by a student managing to cause a fire in the first week of the semester.  
  
“Well, regardless, you should head back, you’re in no condition to keep fighting like that,” I said, to which Dorothea seemed as if she was going to try to say something, but began to visibly wince in pain as she held her arm. “Linhardt will have you patched up in no time, just retreat for now, okay?”  
  
Looking back to the Riegan heir, Dorothea just sighed dejectedly. “Just… try not to get trounced, okay, Ali?”  
  
I certainly didn’t feel like I was at my best after my fight with Hilda, but I just gave her a smile and thumbs up, trying to give her a bit of hope as she shuffled off back to where the rest of the Eagles had been spectating the fight. Taking a deep breath, I turned back to face Claude.  
  
Dorothea, despite her preference for magic, had still clearly managed to put up some form of fight against the Golden Deer leader. He too looked winded, and though he still had some training arrows remaining, his bow had been knocked away by the songstress in their clash, leaving only a wooden training sword for close quarters combat. On paper, it looked as if I could win this. But Claude was the leader for a good reason, I couldn’t go underestimating the Master of Schemes, even when he was at a range disadvantage.  
  
“What’s the matter, Claude?” I call out, a playful smile on my face. “Wasted all of your schemes too soon?”  
  
“Oh c’mon, Alistair, who do you take me for?” Claude chuckled. “I always keep at least one ace up my sleeve at all times. Sword, bow, or even a lance, it doesn’t really make much of a difference at the moment, I’m not picky when it comes to options in a fight. ”  
  
I had to give him credit, Claude certainly knew when to act deviously coy even when he was exhausted. It certainly seemed like something he’d inherit from either of his families, no question.  
  
“Regardless, I don’t plan on losing here, not without a fight anyway,” I said, readying my weapon to prepare an attack.  
  
“Losing hasn’t even crossed your mind, has it?” Claude asked as he mirrored my action, readying his own weapon in a dueling stance. “This’ll be a bit of a shock, then.”  
  
Claude was the one who made the first move, parrying his attack just a bit too close for my liking as I returned the favor, my wooden blade impacting against his with a resounding clunking noise. Not missing a beat, Claude back-stepped just a bit before sidestepping to try and break my guard, this time baiting a guard before striking my face with the pommel of his weapon.  
  
What exactly did I do in a previous life that made everyone want to smack me in the face?!  
  
I stumbled backwards a bit into another part of the treeline, away from where me and Hilda fought before regaining my footing just in time to block a follow up swing from Claude. Seriously, I don’t remember Claude ever being this skilled with a sword in game! He was just as good as me, no, even better than I was, and he was supposed to be primarily an archer focused character.  
  
I was honestly outclassed here, in every single way. **  
** **  
** **_“If you believe you lack the inner strength to excel, then you will have to prove it to me, because I believe you are more powerful than you could possibly imagine."_ ** **_  
_ ** **_  
_ ** ...No. No more of those negative emotions. You could do this, Cole! Focus! Keep moving, don’t stay in one place, don’t give Claude a second to breathe!  
  
Following my successful block, I took the opportunity to start my own assault, never striking or slashing from the same direction twice, trying to make sure Claude kept guessing where I would strike next. Clearly Claude didn't do nearly as well with swords when the pressure was on him. I notice him attempting to try and blind me by kicking up dust, but a strike aimed at his leg put the breaks to that, though that leaves me open to a rather nasty swipe to my ribs. Eventually our swords clash, a struggle for dominance that felt like it lasted for eternity. Eventually, the clash broke as I used my weight to force Claude to the ground, my training sword trained at his neck much in the same way as it had against Lorenz.  
  
“Checkmate, Claude,” I panted, sweat pouring down like rain and my heart pounding through my uniform.  
  
Claude, for his part, just smiled, shrugging as he laid in the dirt. “Really not one for dueling myself, and I think today just proved why. Oh well, looks like this one goes to you after all, Alistair.”  
  
I just laughed back as I stumbled, trying to find something for support. “Jesus, I think one of my ribs is sprained…” Just as I’m about to stumble over however, Claude managed to catch me, helping me down and resting against a tree.  
  
“Easy there, Alistair, you’re probably not gonna be moving for a little while.”  
  
“B-But the fight-” I try to say, before being cut off by Claude.  
  
“I wouldn’t worry about your new professor, sounds like she and her royal highness are doing just fine against ol’ Dimitri. Honestly, I’d say you’ve all got this one in the bag,” Claude said, taking a seat right next to me.

As much as I wanted to argue against Claude’s judgement, he definitely made a point, especially given what I knew about Byleth and Edelgard. With Ferdinand backing them up, the fight against Dimitri, Dedue and Mercedes was even, and then they’d only have to worry about Hanneman and Manuela, and only Hanneman had some decently offensive magic in his arsenal.  
  
So for now, we just kinda sat there, waiting for the rest of the fight to play out. I certainly wasn't in any condition to move with this sprain.  
  
Eventually I turned to face Claude, a hand to my side to try and dull the pain a bit. “Hey, Claude?” I ask, wincing a bit from turning around. “Why’d you help me like that anyway? I just beat you, you’d have every right to watch me hit the dirt.”  
  
Claude just gave me a flat smile, chuckling. "Oh come on, Alistair. Do I really look like the kind of underhanded schemer that'd just leave someone behind?"  
  
My expression turned flat, my eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you not remember what happened only a few days ago with those bandits?"  
  
Claude gave me a shrug. "Okay, fair enough. I guess I just wanted to make up for that is all, y'know? I can play dirty when I need to, but I'm not just the kind of guy who'd kick someone while they're down, y'know?"   
  
Sitting up a bit more straight, he continued. "It's kinda funny. Kids from all over Fodlan are all brought to the Officer's Academy from all three territories, from vastly different cultures. But within the first week, we're already knocking the snot out each other with wooden sticks. Shouldn't we, as Fodlan's next generation, be learning to get along with each other, instead of fostering all of this competition?"  
  
You know, just like in the game, Claude certainly had those moments where his EX-Rank Charisma just shined through like a beaming ray of sunshine. It’s what certainly makes him the most approachable of the three lords on the surface, and what probably drew a lot of people to the Golden Deer route to begin with. Claude really did have his priorities in order, or at least had a good idea of the bigger picture. Glad to know that charisma translated to real life.  
  
“So uh, by the way, Alistair?” Claude asked, causing me to turn to him with a confused look on my face. “What’s ‘Jesus’ mean anyway, some kinda swear from Aegir?”  
  
Oh… right. Fuck, I forgot that I probably couldn’t go explaining Christanity in a region like Fodlan, especially when I was supposedly from a country that was founded with support from Seiros herself. Now that was something I’d have to BS my way through.  
  
“Oh, that? That’s... just a swear that my dad came up with on the job. Just something I picked up on, that’s all,” I lied through my teeth, though Claude didn’t really seem all that convinced. But convinced or not, he had seemingly dropped the subject, content to let sleeping dogs lie for now.  
  
Suddenly a loud horn could be heard from above, followed by Jeralt’s voice.  
  
“All right, and that’s that! The winner of this mock battle is…”  
  
The anticipation was what really hurt. I swore I almost skipped a heartbeat in waiting for the announcement.  
  
“The Black Eagle House!”  
  
Claude beamed at me with a shit-eating grin. “Told ya to trust her.”  
  
I just grinned back. “Shut up, Claude.”  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back! Sorry for the massive delay folks, had a lot of real life stuff come cropping up all at once. But the important thing is that I'm back in action.
> 
> With the mock battle won, how will the class' first real mission turn out? Will we get some more context on why Rhea can hear somewhat hear Sothis?
> 
> Tune in next time, some bat-time, same bat-channel!


	6. Responsibility

So, an interesting thing I learned as Linhardt healed my skinny bitch-ass. Ribs can’t get sprained, even in Fodlan. Turns out all I had was just a bad bruise, which was to be expected with wooden weapons that lacked even the mass of a baseball bat back home. Another interesting thing was how the battle had been won, and I don’t think anyone would stop gushing about it, least of all Caspar with that starry-eyed expression of his.   
  
After me and Dorothea began our little sneak attack, Byleth, Ferdinand and Edelgard all began to draw the attention of the Blue Lions, with Dedue and Dimitri both trying to rush Byleth at once, hoping that would be enough to overwhelm the Ashen Demon. But according to Caspar…   
  
“It was like she could see the future or something! She just moved around their attacks like water!”   
  
Linhardt sighed. “Caspar, I seriously doubt that our new professor is able to ‘see the future’ as you put it.”   
  
Oh Linhardt, you ignorant slut.    
  
One can probably expect how things played out from there. Without her students backing her up, Manuela was easy pickings, as were Hanneman and Mercedes.   
  
Among those who had participated in the mock battle, me and Dorothea were the ones who definitely needed some healing. But no harm, no foul, save for the minor bruise on Dorothea’s left cheek that’d be gone by tomorrow or the day after. I did try apologizing for not watching her back, but she just shrugged it off.   
  
“Ali, I might be a girl who stresses her appearance, but it was a battle, and things like these are bound to happen in said battles. Don’t worry!” She smiled, though I could notice it was more of a ‘Claude’ smile, a smile that didn’t fully reach her eyes.   
  
Dinner was a cheerful affair, even among the other two houses who hadn’t won. The Black Eagles table was practically bursting with activity, my duel with Claude having reached several ears it would seem. Edelgard especially looked pleased with my results, minor injuries aside.   
  
“You see what happens when you apply yourself, Alistair? Continue with that same mindset, and I daresay that no one could stop you.” C’mon Edelgard, any more praise and my ego could end up as swollen as Lorenz over there, who was probably the only one among the Golden Deer who could really be described as “sulking” currently.    
  
“I must agree,” Byleth nodded, taking a sip of water. “Taking on a house leader on your own, even when they’re armed with a weapon they are unfamiliar with is no small task.”   
  
I could practically feel my ears turning red from all the praise. Seriously, wasn’t Byleth supposed to be the golden child here?   
  
Ferdinand laughed, taking a hearty sip of his own drink. “I am not so shocked. Commoner or noble, we men of the Aegir Region are worth at least ten others by comparison!”   
  
Edelgard let out a small chuckle before scanning the table and looking at each of us, even Bernadetta who was currently just nibbling away at her roast boar with all of the courage of a blind mouse. Clearing her throat, she began. “This is only the first step, everyone. Together, we’ll take the Black Eagle house to newer and higher heights yet. To a glorious year!” she smiled, raising her glass like a toast, a gesture that most of us followed.   
  
It was almost enough to make me forget what our missions would entail.    
  
As soon as dinner was over, Bernadetta scampered off to her room with nary another word, the rest of the Eagles following suit. Right then, back to the dorms it is, no doubt Sothis had a lot to say, most of it probably mistakes that I had made during my fight with Claude. But as I turned to walk toward my dorm room, I paused. Somehow, someway, I knew someone was staring at me.    
  
Slowly turning around, I come to find none other than Flayn, the sister- er, daughter of Seteth, as well as one of the four saints. And our resident queen of the fish. Flayn kept a neutral poker face as she continued to bore her gaze deep into my soul, and I had to say, I was feeling just a little unsettled.    
  
“Um…?” I awkwardly say, finally snapping Flayn out of her mini-trance of sorts.    
  
“O-Oh! Please, do forgive me for staring like that!” Flayn apologized, giving me a quick bow. Something didn’t quite feel right here. I know Flayn was eager to officially join a house and all, something that wasn’t going to be happening until after the incident with Mihail I believe, but it felt more like Flayn was outright trying to dissect me.    
  
“I-It’s no problem, miss...?” I trail off, before a familiar voice cut through, probably the last person I want catching me alone with Flayn.   
  
“Flayn! There are you, I have been searching for you ever… since… dinner,” Seteth said, his gaze soon turning toward me, accusatory and near murderous for having the sheer gall to even try talking with Flayn. “Mr. Boramas,” he began, his tone as cold as the frigid north. “Whatever could you be doing here?”   
  
Translation; why the fuck are you talking to my little sister/daughter?   
  
“Brother, please!” Flayn pleaded, already knowing exactly what Seteth was implying with his tone. “It was I who approached Alistair first, I assure you!”    
  
Seteth turned to his ‘sister’, his eyes becoming noticeably more soft. “Flayn?”   
  
“True, it was rather rude of me to stare, but I simply was curious in meeting the newest Black Eagle for myself, especially after the mock battle. Please, forgive me, brother,” Flayn apologized, practically giving Seteth puppy eyes. And true to form, Seteth acquiesced almost immediately.   
  
“...Very well then, I shall overlook this, for now anyway.”   
  
See, normally I’d be fine with keeping quiet, but Seteth probably would’ve thought it would be odd if I just stayed quiet. So, dumb question time!    
  
“Um, Sir Seteth, is Flayn your sister?”   
  
Seteth’s judging gaze soon returned to me, though not as harsh as before. “That is correct, Flayn is my younger sister, though she is not quite an official student here at the Officer’s Academy. On that note, please do not trouble her with any trifling concerns, young Alistair.” He wore a smile, but it was noticeably strained, as if barely holding back contempt for me for daring to speak to his ever so treasured ‘sister’.    
  
“I understand completely.”   
  
Seteth nodded. “On that note,” he continued, his tone changing to a more professional note. “I believe the hour is late, and your full studies will begin tomorrow. Please, do try to get some sleep.”   
  
I give the green haired man a smile and a nod. “I’ll certainly try. Good night, Sir Seteth.” I wanted to also say good night to Flayn, but somehow I feel like that’d just earn me another glare. So for future reference, just avoid trying to talk to Flayn without good cause and Seteth probably won’t stab me.   
  
Speaking of Flayn though, why was she even curious about me? Sure, she wanted to join the Officer’s Academy, but why was she staring at me in particular? It couldn’t be because of Sothis, could it? Only I could really talk to her. Unless Nabateans could just sense each other like sensing energy in Dragon Ball. But that couldn’t be the case either, cause I’m pretty sure Rhea would have had some choice words for me by this point.   
  
Bah. Speculation would get me nowhere. For now, I needed sleep.    


* * *

As Flayn watched Alistair’s back fade away into the night, a cough caused her to face her fath- er, brother, standing up just a touch straighter. “Yes, brother?”   
  
“You look troubled, Flayn. Are you sure that Alistair said nothing to upset you?” Seteth’s concern was touching, but that was far from the case. No, it was something else, something that the young Nabatean couldn’t quite place.   
  
“Far from it,” Flayn said, shaking her head. “It is simply… a feeling I have.”   
  
Seteth raised an eyebrow. “A ‘feeling’? What sort of feeling?”

  
“It is nothing bad, I assure you. But… I cannot quite explain it myself. If I had to put it to words, I’d say he feels… familiar, I suppose?”   
  
“And yet, you’ve only just met the boy. Curious...” Seteth said, crossing his arms. He didn’t say it, but “familiar'' would certainly be one way to describe this odd aura. As tempting as it was to begin investigating right away, he knew that there was a far smarter way to go about this. Seteth stroked his chin for a moment before turning to Flayn once more. “I suppose I will have a small talk with Alistair tomorrow, after classes have concluded. Given the circumstances of his attendance at the Officer’s Academy, it’s something I have to do anyway. That way, we can assess just what is so odd about this boy.”   
  
Flayn shifted just a bit in her place, looking downwards and closing her eyes. “But brother, does he not feel similar to-”   
  
A small ‘shh’ was all it took to silence the smaller Nabatean.   
  
“Not another word, Flayn. Not while prying ears may be able to hear at least.”   


* * *

  
“-And that unique hairstyle of hers, how exquisite! I always knew my darling Cichol would treat his daughter right! Oh, if only I could pinch her adorable little cheeks!”   
  
Would you believe that the instant I stepped foot into my room, Sothis nearly burst out in childish squeals from indirectly meeting her granddaughter? This had been going on for an hour, with no signs of stopping. I could feel myself slowly but surely wasting away as I tried in vain to get some kind of sleep, but Sothis simply wouldn’t allow it.    
  
“Sothis… please, I have class tomorrow…”   
  
“Do you think she was inspired to style her hair in such a way by her mother? Ooo, now who did my little Cichol marry, who was it that captured his heart~?”   
  
I swear to god, I was going to fucking strangle Sothis.   


* * *

Class was about what I’d expected, for not even a day after our mock battle, we had already been assigned our first mission, and just like the game, it involved clearing out bandits.   
  
“Bandits?” Lindhardt’s eyebrow raised. “Our first mission is to rout a few bandits?”   
  
Caspar, for one, couldn’t contain his excitement if he tried. “C’mon Professor, where are they?! Lemme at em’, I’ve been dying to see some action!”   
  
“Charge ahead if you must, Caspar,” Ferdinand chuckled. “Just do not put the rest of us in danger.”   
  
Bernadetta was practically shaking in her seat, her face all but saying that she’d rather be anywhere than here. “I’d… rather stay behind, Professor Byleth. I won’t be of any help anyway, and I’d rather not get hurt…”   
  
Turning to face her, I try giving her a smile. “We’ll be fine, Bernadetta. If we stick together, those bandits won’t even scratch us.”   
  
“I wouldn’t get ahead of yourself, Alistair,” Linhardt interjected, his eyes already drooping. “Unfounded optimism isn’t what I would call a great strategy.”   
  
Byleth raised a hand, calling for silence. “Relax, all of you. I’ve just been informed that the bandits have been cornered in Zanado, the Red Canyon. We will depart in two weeks time, so ensure that you have made proper preparations by then.”    
  
A soft gasp went off in my head, courtesy of Sothis. “Zanado…” she mumbled wistfully, and I couldn’t blame her. It was her home, the home of her entire species. How could you not feel even a bit nostalgic, even if for the wrong reasons? But that being said, two weeks? I thought all missions were done by the end of the month. Would we even be ready?    
  
Even again, if Kostas is already dead, then maybe we didn’t have to worry too badly. After all, the bandits lost their long time leader, whoever was leading them probably didn’t have any better of an idea on what to do compared to Kostas. It was Fire Emblem law after all, bandits weren’t very smart. 

* * *

Despite Sothis' best efforts, I was able to make it through class the following morning. The bell rang to signal the end of the day, and I was all set to start chipping away at this homework Byleth had given us. More tactical scenarios to devise answers for, nothing too strenuous. That was all I had planned for the day, but clearly fate had opted to throw yet another curveball in the direction of my face.   
  
As I exited the classroom, I noticed none other than the youngest janitor on record, Cyril, bounding up to me. He barely came up to my ribs, and had to look up just to look me in the eye. “You’re Alistair, right?”   
  
Now, usually when Cyril came up to you, it usually meant a letter or a request from one of the higher ups in the Church. Being the glorified head janitor for Garreg Mach tended to come with those responsibilities.   
  
“That’s me,” I nodded. “Who’re you?” Obviously I knew who he was, but considering Cyril hadn’t even met me, or rather “Alistair”, seemed only right to ask.   
  
“My name’s Cyril, and I got a message for you. Seteth wants to see you in his office.”   
  
Have you ever felt the sensation of an entire tray of cubes run down your back? Well, multiply that by about twenty, and you could probably get a good idea on the sheer terror I felt. For the record, you’d have to multiply that by fifty if Rhea was the one summoning me.   
  
Fighting against every instinct I had to run to my dorm room and lock the door, I knew it’d only delay the inevitable.   


  
“Where… where’s his office, exactly?”   
  
Cyril gestured toward the other building, no doubt housed by Rhea. “It’s off to the side in the main chamber. Just be respectful to Lady Rhea if you happen to run into her, yeah?” Given Cyril’s utter admiration for the woman, it came off less like a favor and more of a demand. Cyril could definitely be a little shit like that.    
  
“Was me showing respect to the archbishop ever in any doubt?” I asked, raising an eyebrow, to which Cyril just shrugged.   
  
“I’m just saying, that’s all. Now, if you don’t mind, I have something actually important to get back to.”   
  
...Zero to pissed in a moment. My goodness, Cyril, you have **talent**.

  
“Alistair?” Byleth asked, walking up to me just as Cyril began heading off to the mess hall, no doubt more cleaning to get done.. “What was that about?”   
  
I gave the professor a nonchalant handwave, trying my best to mask my nervousness and failing miserably. “Well, apparently Seteth wants to have a discussion with me. In his office.”

  
“A discussion?” Byleth raised an eyebrow. “Were you given any specifics or details as to why?”   
  
I shook my head. “None whatsoever.”   
  
Byleth took a moment to ponder, stroking her chin before shaking her head. “If I know Seteth like I think I do, it’s most likely nothing serious. He may seem a touch abrasive, but don’t worry.”   
  
Now why would you say that, Byleth? You’ve only known the man for a few days at most, yet you act like you’ve known him for longer. She probably thought she was being subtle, but I was one step ahead of the curve. And of course, you weren’t the one caught out at sunset with his precious dau-er, sister. Gotta remember not to slip on that, else Seteth probably would gut me faster than I could say “Oops”.   
  
“I’ll take your word for it, Professor.” With that, I began to head toward Seteth’s office, each stair climbed added to this feeling of weight in my stomach. I was always a paranoid kid when it came to “getting called up to the office”, always thinking it was something bad, or that I did something bad without realizing it. Only here, I was plenty sure of what I did.   
  
I could feel certain eyes gaze towards me as I walked to the big set of double doors that led to Rhea’s public chamber, though no one said anything.    
  
Pushing the two doors open, the best way I could describe the audience chamber was… Christ, almighty, it certainly felt powerful. There was a certain air here that cooled me to the bone, and whether that was the atmosphere or just really good ventilation had yet to be seen.    
  
“Okay… just talk to Seteth, get out. Talk to Seteth, get out. You got this, Cole,” I whisper to myself. If I recall correctly… it was on the left in the game. So, I began walking in that general direction.   
  
That’s when Rhea saw me. And began walking towards me.   
  
Yes. Because there weren’t any other places for the fucking archbishop walk towards, or anything more important that a woman of her stature needed to do. How the hell did I get my skinny ass out of this one-   
  
“Good day to you, young one. Do you have business in the audience chamber?”   
  
Okay, steel yourself Alistai-, Cole, my name is Cole goddamnit! I managed to steady myself and clear my throat, mentally beating down any fear I might have. Having to talk to who’s quite literally on the central figureheads of the entire continent tended to do that.   
  
“U-Um, yes, Lady Rhea. Sir Seteth requested my presence in his office, I was told that he could be found here?”    
  
Rhea simply smiled, gesturing to her right, or my left. “Ah yes, Alistair Boramas. Seteth is right through there, though I cannot imagine why he would request to see you personally.”   
  
You’d think that Rhea’s graceful, motherly nature would be at least semi-comforting. But there was just a hint of authority in her voice that made her so unnerving to be around. Then again, as the archbishop for centuries running, it was understandable that she wanted to project some power.    
  
“I… I understand, Lady Rhea. Now then, I shouldn’t keep Sir Seteth waiting-”   
  
“Just one more thing, Mr. Boramas.”   
  
A clean cut through my words. I was utterly helpless as Rhea walked ever closer to me. While my current body was a couple of inches taller, Rhea certainly felt taller just based on the aura she projected.    
  
“Y-Yes, Lady Rhea?”   
  
She said nothing, only staring right into my eyes, and right then was when I really understood how terrifying Rhea could be, and she hadn’t even snapped like in Crimson Flower. It may not have been the case, but I felt as if she knew just about everything there was to know about me, and what I could be.   
  
And then she stepped away, a smaller smile this time. Not entirely sure if that was good or not.   
  
“It is nothing, Mr. Boramas. Please heed me no mind.”   
  
I guess I was just being overly paranoid. Either that or Rhea was just hiding an ace up her sleeve. Christ, was Edelgard rubbing off on me. Soon enough I was going to see enemies everywhere I looked. And given the Agarthans, that wasn’t exactly too far off the mark either.   
  
“Very well then, I pray you have a good rest of your day, Lady Rhea,” I said with a less shaky and more polite tone, giving a small bow.   
  
“And you as well, young one. And go in the grace in the goddess,” Rhea nodded, walking off to attend to… archbishop things, I suppose.   
  
And now for Seteth.    


* * *

As Rhea walked away, she mused on the oddity that was Alistair Boramas.    
  
‘Perhaps… I was mistaken?’ she thought to herself. ‘...Yes, I must be. Only Jeralt’s daughter could have possibly…’   
  
She shook her head. Perhaps she was simply thinking too hard on this. She was one hundred percent sure on where she put her mother’s Crest Stone. And besides that, the boy was just that. A boy.

* * *

  
If I had to use one word to describe Seteth’s office, it’d be organized. It was apparent that every book or item had been neatly organized, every inch of space having been optimized for maximum efficiency, which made sense. Seteth was, after all, in charge of the actual Officer’s Academy for the most part, only Rhea I’m assuming having any more authority over him if Byleth’s hiring was any indication.    
  
Seteth’s gaze turned to me the second I closed the door. “Ah, Mr. Boramas. More punctual than I expected. Please, have a seat.” His tone betrayed no emotion, his face was so blank that I was convinced Seteth would’ve made for a perfect poker player back home. From my perspective, it felt like getting called into the teacher’s office for a whoopee cushion prank.

...It was only once, and you can’t prove anything!   
  
I took one of the chairs in front of Seteth’s desk and sat down, perhaps a little straighter than I should. Seteth, having noticed this, raised an eyebrow. “You look nervous. Is something the matter?”   
  
You bet your sweet bippy something was the matter. But how the hell did I phrase it?    
  
“Er, did I… do something wrong, Sir Seteth?”   
  
Smooth Cole, real smooth.   
  
Seteth simply adjusted himself in his seat, his hands placed onto the desk calmly. “As far as I am aware, no you haven’t.. Have you done something to warrant this worrying?” he asked, raising his eyebrow even further.   
  
“Not at all! It’s just… when a superior calls you in like this, it’s usually not for anything good, that’s all,” I said, trying to make sure I kept eye contact with Seteth. After all, shifty eyes were never a strong case for innocence.   
  
“A fair point,” Seteth responded. “But allow me to allay your fears; you are not in any trouble, Mr. Boramas. I simply wished to have a discussion with you, that is all.”   
  
Discussion? The heck did he want to talk with me about? As far as I’m aware, Alistair Boramas was from a simple blacksmithing village in the Empire, far from an important ‘somebody’ like the three lords.

Wait, didn’t Linhardt say something about some kind of selection program?   
  
“As I’m sure you are aware,” Seteth began. “Tuition for the Officer’s Academy is not what one would call ‘affordable’. Even certain members of the nobility may find it difficult to pay the entirety of what is required up front, and commoners may need the backing of a noble sponsor to even be considered, given certain financial limitations.”   
  
That’s right, even Dorothea needed to be sweet on a noble to get her shot at the Officer’s Academy, Ashe had Lonato’s help and so on. The Officer’s Academy was pretty damn exclusive, and if you didn’t have a Crest or noble blood, tough luck. Then again, that was far from the only problem Fodlan had at present.    
  
“Yet there are still some commoners. Our house has Dorothea for example,” I said, causing Seteth to nod.    
  
“Indeed you do, and there are a fair number of commoners attending this year as well. However, you are something of a… unique case, Mr. Boramas.”   
  
Unique? That’s certainly one way you could describe me back home. “In what way, sir?”   
  
“I believe you recall a sort of test that was held for entrance into the Officer’s Academy? I was the one who designed it.” Now there was a shocker, Seteth doing something to help out the little guy? Granted he wasn’t nearly on Rhea’s level when it came to Fodlan’s current system, but I’m shocked he’d actually do something this drastic.   
  
“You see, many years ago, I happened upon an odd man while doing my own rounds. The man was of low standing, and it was clear that he barely had enough to feed himself. And yet, when I saw the man play with his friend in a board game, the man barely lost any of his pieces, his strategy was impeccable. ‘Hmm,’ I thought. ‘Why hadn’t this man been allowed to attend the Officer’s Academy?’ And so I asked him, and he simply chuckled, saying that ‘I was born penniless and Crestless, sire.’   
  
Slowly exiting his chair and peering out of his office window, Seteth sighed.   
  
“It took many years to convince the Archbishop to agree to this idea. And even then, it was only a test run. We would select one person of common birth from the Empire, Kingdom and Alliance respectively, and test them to see if they’d be excellent fits for the Officer’s Academy. And as it so happens, Alistair, that you were the only one who made the cut.”   
  
So that’s how “Alistair” got involved in the plot eh? Awfully kind of Seteth, even if indirectly.    
  
“I simply wish for you to understand the great opportunity that you have been given, Mr. Boramas. Going forward, I would personally like to see the privilege of our education not be so rigidly held by the nobility and elite exclusively.”   
  
So if I succeeded here, I’d be opening the door to what was basically part of what Edelgard wanted. A way to give talented people the chance to shine, no matter what their background may have been. That was quite the responsibility, especially compared to canon when there was no such program. But I guess this explained why Seteth was being… oddly kind to me.   
  
Of course, it also came off like “Please do not die, you are basically an investment”.    
  
“I… I’m not sure what to say, Sir Seteth.”   
  
“Well, for one, you may stop calling me ‘Sir’. I am not a Knight of Serios, merely the acting headmaster of the Officer’s Academy. Please, just call me Seteth,” Seteth said, turning back to face me.    
  
“I understand, Seteth. And for the record, I apologize for last night for bothering your daught-er, sister!” I quickly corrected myself, heart pounding. That was bad, that was really bad. No one was supposed to know Flayn was Seteth’s daughter.  _ Now  _ I was fucked with a capital F.   
  
“It’s… because of my facial hair, isn’t it?” he said, followed by a chuckle.   
  
Okay, now it was my turn to be confused.    
  
“W-What?”   
  
“Oh, it is nothing. Many people have made this assumption in the past. I simply look much older than Flayn, ergo we must be father and daughter. It’s usually due to the facial hair you see. Do not worry, it is a rather common assumption,” Seteth smiled, crossing his arms. I couldn’t help but let out a mental sigh of relief. That was a fucking close one.   
  
“My, quite the clumsy blunder you almost made, Cole~” went the enraging goddess living rent free in my subconscious.    
  
“That said, you have nothing to apologize for. Flayn explained the situation in full last night. However…” Seteth added, this time in a slightly more dangerous tone. “I will once again ask you to not bother Flayn with any trifling matters. Is that to be understood, Mr. Boramas?”   
  
There was no chuckling this time.   
  
“One hundred percent, crystal clear.”   
  
“Wonderful,” Seteth nodded. “Now, do not let me keep you from your studies, you may leave now.”   
  
With nary another word, I found myself exiting the office a bit faster than I would’ve liked, not even bothering to check if Rhea was still in the Audience Hall before exiting to the hallway and down the stairs. It certainly could’ve gone worse, that was for sure. I didn’t even bother stopping by the mess hall for dinner, heading straight to my room.   
  
“Tiring, was it not?” Sothis mused as she came into view, floating above my vision.   
  
“Sothis, be honest with me,” I said, sitting up and looking at the goddess. “Did it… look like Rhea wasn’t really looking at me, but at you?”   
  
Sothis raised an eyebrow. “Looking at me? I fail to understand your reasoning, Cole.”   
  
“Like… I dunno, like Rhea could sense your presence around me or something, like an aura.”   
  
Sothis took in my words and pondered for a minute. “Well… I wouldn’t say it is impossible. But you lack my Crest Stone, do you not?” I nodded. “I am unfamiliar with how the Crest Stones and relics were made exactly, save for… using my children as the basis…” At this, Sothis curled her hands into fists, her expression noticeably more furious looking before calming herself. “However, I would imagine that if little Serios has been going about this for years, she may be able to sense how intensely my Crest Stone reacts to a host.”   
  
It wasn’t quite a concrete idea, but it could explain how Rhea could slowly feel Byleth becoming one with Sothis, aside from the Sword of the Creator and the green hair thing. Of course, this was coming from someone who didn’t even know how her own Crest Stone worked, but given that it sealed Byleth’s heartbeat and emotions in the game, it’s safe to say that Sothis’ crest stone by itself stood out among the others.   
  
“Therefore, if you do not have my Crest Stone, then there should be no way for Seiros to sense my presence inside you.”   
  
“I dunno… it felt like Rhea was looking through me back there, like she was looking for some sign of you,” I sighed, shaking my head. “Maybe I’m just becoming paranoid…”    
  
“You are not in the wrong for wishing to understand your odd circumstances, child. But I think you have other matters to worry about first, such as your first assignment,” Sothis said, causing my eyes to widen in realization.    
  
“Oh crap, that’s right, the mission at Zanado. Our first real mission, actually,” I nodded.   
  
“Bandits should prove to be no real challenge for you, but what interests me is in returning to my home,” Sothis said, looking a touch wistful. “I can hardly believe anything of it remains now… and yet, I wish to see what has become of it with my own eyes.”   
  
Now here was an interesting opportunity to learn some more about Zanado. All we saw in the game was a big empty canyon and a brief glimpse of it from the past. But I could ask Sothis herself what the culture was like, how the Nabateans lived before the massacre.    
  
“But for now…” Sothis yawned, her eyes sleepily half lidded. “I feel I must rest for now… go on, enjoy your dinner and training, we shall speak more of Zanado when appropriate and when you are ready to depart.”   
  
Why… you little conniving, smug, tired sloth of a goddess! You don’t just do that to a man, tease him on lore he was dying to know and just decide to go to sleep! The fate of Fodlan was depending on this, you lazy bum!   
  
“Cole… I can still hear your thoughts.”   
  
I know, and I didn’t give a crap!   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter's a bit slower, more focused on character development. Not as lengthy as last time either, but hopefully that's not a problem.
> 
> Come join us in our Discord! Don't worry, we don't bite! https://discord.gg/9XG3U7a


	7. Of Classmates and Supports

_Meanwhile, in the Red Canyon..._  
  
“BULLSHIT!” roared the muscular woman that stood before me. “You went n’ lead my father to his death! You never said anything bout’ the fucking Blade Breaker guarding those noble shits! And what’s more, we have the Knights o’ Seiros on our tail!”  
  
Why in Adrestia’s name did I ever assume that bandits could possibly handle a task as easy as this? The task was to be a simple one, intimidate the new professor, that was all. With the new professor out of the way, I could proceed with installing Jeritza as the new professor, ideally as the Black Eagles professor.  
  
And yet…  
  
“Both you and your father have proved utterly worthless,” I hissed through the voice alteration in my helmet, courtesy of my “uncle”. “Distracted by something so trivial.”  
  
“The Knights o’ Serios ain’t exactly what I’d be calling ‘trivial’, you bastard!” she roared, her name utterly eluding me. Not that it would change her failure.  
  
“Regardless,” I continued. “I would have hoped your father would have achieved our goal despite the setback. But now…” I muse to myself, tuning out the now hastily elected bandit leader. “Now the daughter of the former captain is in play. How interesting…”  
  
Of course, the woman was utterly determined in remaining relevant, a foolish endeavor. “This isn’t what we agreed to!”  
  
First, Rhea opts to hire a random mercenary as a full time professor at the Officer’s Academy, and now there was Alistair to attend to, a commoner who had been accepted as a member of the Black Eagle house as a commoner without any noble sponsors like Dorothea, or loans to speak of, according to Hubert. Just what in the blazes was going on with the Church? The former seemed to indicate something about Professor Byleth that was larger than meets the eye, and the latter seemed to utterly fly in the face of Fodlan’s caste system. I doubt that Rhea would have easily agreed to something so-  
  
“Are you even listening to me damn it?! I’m asking how we go about finishing this!”  
  
How vulgar, how unsightly. I had no time for these fools, not when there was still so much to do.  
  
“You die.”  
  
Rather than backing down, the bandit woman seemed offended by my words, narrowing her eyes even further. “What the hell did ya just say?!”  
  
“Underestimating the Knights of Seiros was an amateur mistake, one that your father paid for and one you shall pay for as well. The road to eternal torment awaits you all.”  
  
With that, I turn my back on my former "ally", giving her one final dirty look. “Now I must locate your replacements…”  
  
If the woman had any further complaints, they would fall on deaf ears as I felt the Warp spell kick in, and before I knew it, I was standing before my trusted retainer under a nearby tree, away from the Red Canyon.  
  
“I take it that the bandits have been ‘cut loose’, Lady Edelgard?” He asked, though there was no doubt that he already knew the answer.  
  
Slowly removing my helmet, I allow my hair to flow freely, taking in the fresh air before addressing him. “All that remains is to ensure that all are eliminated within the coming weeks. It was a mistake to rely on fools such as these, Hubert.”  
  
“Indeed, and now we cannot use Jeritza as freely as we would have liked. This will cause complications in the future…”  
  
As correct as always, Hubert. The situation is most definitely tenuous at best. Despite my future endeavors, it was actually preferable that Dimitri and Claude survived, and was indeed my intention. All that I needed to do was scare off that incompentent buffoon of a professor. The bandits meanwhile would have been driven off by the Knights of Seiros and Jeritza would have taken his place as the new professor. The death of Dimitri would’ve allowed that despicable woman to take the Kingdom, giving her “uncle” a solid foothold in Fodlan. Likewise, Claude’s death would’ve caused any number of problems for the Alliance, but again, namely it would give that despicable group yet another foothold in Fodlan, things that I cannot control or take into account.  
  
And while I lacked power, that simply wouldn’t do.  
  
And on top of that, now that Jeritza wasn’t where I needed him to be, this gave my “uncle” another advantage, the ability to use one of my most powerful tools for his own agenda.  
  
In short, the board was stacked against me, even if everything managed to go well. But there were elements I hadn’t planned on. The daughter of the Blade Breaker and the new commoner…  
  
“Alistair Boramas…”  
  
Hubert turned to me, a quizzical look on his face. “What about him, Lady Edelgard?”  
  
“It is nothing, Hubert. For now that is. In the meanwhile, we must return at once and begin preparations for the mission.”  
  
“At once, my lady,” Hubert bowed, before preparing another warp spell. But before that, my mind again turned to Alistair. A commoner, born with no noble blood, no Crest, a blank slate that could, with enough time, rise to greatness. A prime example of the world I wished to forge, that I would forge.  
  
No matter the future holds.

* * *

In preparation for the upcoming mission, Byleth had managed to secure us a practice bout with other members of the Knights of Seiros, though Alois, Catherine and Jeralt noticeably seemed absent from the exercise, probably busy with their own missions. Though we had to wait for Edelgard and Hubert, something about official Empire business and all.  
  
The knights had opted to come equipped with various weapons that the bandits would most likely be using, mostly practice swords and axes, a sight I had become all too familiar with by now.  
  
“Man, I can’t wait to see some action!” Caspar said with a toothy grin, bringing his training gauntlets together. “I’m thinking I can take on at least five bandits all on my own, Alistair!”  
  
Well, I had to give Caspar this, he was enthusiastic if nothing else. But that kind of idealism wasn’t going to hold up on the battlefield, not at all.  
  
“Caspar… you do realize we’re being sent to kill those men, yeah?” I ask, to which Caspar shrugged.  
  
“C’mon Alistair, they’re bandits, I think people are gonna be thanking us afterwards,” the second born said in a nonchalant manner. Having actually taken two lives, Caspar’s dismissal of the consequences or feelings that came with killing just nagged at me. Actually, scratch that, it really pissed me off. But punching Caspar in his dumb face probably wasn’t the best idea right before a training exercise.  
  
“Sure, they’re bandits,” I said, my tone just a touch shorter than before. “But they’re still human lives, Caspar. Lives that we’ll be ending personally. I think you’d do well to take things a bit more seriously.”  
  
Again, Caspar shrugged me off. “Whatever you say, Alistair.”  
  
Clearly the best teacher here would be first-hand experience. Then again, didn’t his first kill just psyche Caspar up in the main game? Would he even be able to understand the kind of weight that killing someone left on you?  
  
Edelgard sighed. “Caspar, I do wish you’d heed Alistair’s advice. This is our first mission, and I want to ensure it will be a success.”  
  
“Oh come on, you too, Edelgard?!” Caspar asked incredulously. “Seriously, it’ll be fine! We’ve been training nonstop, no way is a normal old bandit gonna be enough to take us down!”  
  
“Lady Edelgard makes an excellent point,” Hubert interjected, his tone containing a hint of irritation. “You must be willing to take our missions seriously, Caspar. For if you treat the battlefield as a joke, the battlefield will treat your own life as a comedy in turn.”  
  
For once, Caspar had no real comeback. Groaning like a child denied a candy bar, he said, “Fine, fine! I’ll be careful! Promise!” I had some serious doubts about that promise myself, but right then the horn sounded for the mock battle with the knights to begin.

* * *

Another day, another training session done. I could feel my stomach growl in its demand for more food, and I was happy to oblige. This time I had found myself training with Petra and the woman simply moved at an unnatural pace when it came to swordplay. By and large one of the more speedier combatants of Garreg Mach, I found myself nursing many bruises by the end of it all.  
  
Suddenly I could hear footsteps bounding up to my right. “Ah, Alistair! Are your bruises on the mending?” Petra asked as she came into my line of sight.  
  
“As well as they can be. I swear, you move faster than I could think, Petra,” I said, nursing the bruise on my left arm.  
  
“In Brigid, they are teaching me to be as swift as the wind, to always be moving. I am simply to be playing to my strengths.” Made sense. After all, she’s the speedy character of the game, the obvious assassin. That being said, it was still a bitch and a half to actually fight her, I could count the amount of times I got her on one good hand!  
  
“Bernadetta, please! You must cease this foolishness!”  
  
My ears perked up at the sudden noise coming from the direction of the dorms. Was that Ferdinand?  
  
“Such loudness. Has Bernadetta been doing something to warrant such a loud racketeering?” Petra asked, tilting her head.  
  
“I think you mean ‘racket’, Petra. And I have a hunch as to what’s going on…” I sighed, heading off to the dorms, followed closely by Petra. As expected, there stood Ferdinand, right outside Bernadetta’s door, wearing an expression of desperation.  
  
“You cannot expect to hold up in your room forever, Bernadetta! We need your help with the upcoming mission!”  
  
Bernadetta, predictably, stuttered back through the door, “N-No way! Not happening! Bandits equals violence, violence equals a good chance of me getting an axe to the head for my troubles! I-I’ll just stay here and give you guys moral support from a safe distance!”  
  
Ferdinand groaned audibly, his patience seemingly wearing thin, and I couldn’t blame him. I knew why Bernadetta was the way she was, but actually having to deal with it in reality? It was certainly a hassle, that was for sure. “Bernadetta, Professor Byleth herself has been wondering where you’ve been! If you do not open this door, I shall have to force open the door!”  
  
“Hello, Ferdinand,” I greet with a sarcastic twinge in my voice. “Playing hard to get?”  
  
Ferdinand turned to me with a sigh, shaking his head. “Hardly, Alistair. Ever since our training exercise with the Knights of Seiros yesterday, Bernadetta has refused to leave her room, save for supper!”  
  
“But why has Bernadetta confined herself to solitary?” Petra asked, sporting a quizzical look.  
  
“Probably because… well, she’s nervous,” I said. “Coming from someone who actually has been in an actual fight and has killed, that’s a weight you… never tend to let go. And yeah, the whole ‘life or death’ bit probably has something to do with it.”  
  
“If that is the case…” Ferdinand began. “Perhaps you can reach out to her? I fear I am simply talking to a brick wall, and I do have an errand to attend to before the sun goes down.”  
  
So, I get the honor of trying to slowly pry Bernadetta out of her shell like she was an oyster. That was certainly easier said than done, but hey; nothing ventured, nothing gained. I’d just have to not break her damn door down like Ingrid did in their support chain, I’d assume Seteth would be slightly angry at the idea of having to replace a door this early in the school year.  
  
“I’ll give it a try,” I nodded. “But I can’t exactly make any promises.”  
  
“Trying is all we can do, Alistair. Oh, and before I go…” Ferdinand said. “This can wait until later, but before our upcoming mission I’d like to have a chat with you, if that wouldn’t be too troublesome?”  
  
Ferdinand wanting to have a chat with me? Does this have something to do with him recognizing Alistair’s surname and his hometown? Were we gonna get some canon that didn’t fit into the main game? Certainly sounded great to me.  
  
“That’d be fine, Ferdinand.”  
  
Beaming a smile, Ferdinand nodded. “Perfect! Then I shall take my leave! Good luck to you, Alistair! And a fine day to you, Petra!” With that, the noblest of nobles strode off, off to do… noble things, I guess.  
  
“I should be leaving as well, I must be starting on my studies for tonight. Be enjoying the evening, Alistair,” Petra bowed, before bouncing off toward her own dorm room, leaving me quite alone in front of Bernadetta’s room.  
  
Right… I could do this, right? Bernadetta was the first S-Support I got when I played the game, I knew how she ticked. I just had to be gentle, not try to force anything. With Bernadetta, you have to be patient and not try to literally drag her out of the room by force, like a certain second born Bergliez son or Ingrid. All you’d do was make the situation infinitely worse than it already was.  
  
Taking a deep breath, I knocked the door to Bernadetta’s room, causing its one occupant to squeal in horror.  
  
“W-Who’s there now?! What do you want?!”  
  
“Calm down Bernadetta,” I said. “It’s just me, Alistair.”  
  
“A-Alistair?” Bernadetta’s tone seemed to calm down after hearing my voice. “W-What’s wrong? Are you here to kick down my door too?”  
  
Wait, people have already tried that?! Jesus, what was with people and their fascination with kicking down Bernadetta’s door? No wonder the poor girl was scared out of her wits.  
  
“No, Bernadetta, that’s not why I’m here. You don’t have to open the door, just please, listen to me, okay?”  
  
I could hear the shuffling of sheets, followed by the slight sliding of Bernadetta’s back against the door. “O-Okay… what is it?”  
  
Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes, I finally managed to find my words. “Bernadetta, I know you’re scared about having to fight, I heard it from Ferdnand.”  
  
“S-So you ARE here to force me out!” Bernadetta whimpered. ”Look, Alistair, I’m not even gonna be useful out there, all I’m gonna do is get myself or someone else killed, so it’s really best for everyone that I-”  
  
“None of that, Bernadetta,” I said, cutting her off. “You do have strengths as our primary archer, we’ve all seen you at practice, you’re an excellent shot. And think about it, if you’re an archer, that means you get to stay in the back of all the fighting, yeah?”  
  
Bernadetta said nothing for a few seconds, as if taking in my words. “Well… I-I’m not saying that’s wrong, but…”  
  
I think I was getting closer. Time to reel it in, just like dad used to teach me out on the lake.  
  
“Bernadetta… you’re scared about having to kill people, aren’t you?”  
  
Another pause, followed by a small, whimpered “Y-Yes…”  
  
I knew it. I know the Officer’s Academy was where generals and… well, officers were trained to become the next leaders of their respective nations, but there was just something seriously fucked up with a school sending fifteen and sixteen year old kids off to kill on Church orders. People like Bernadetta? She’s already had to deal with a lifetime of mental abuse by her father, only just now being able to get away from his reach. Adding the weight of killing someone on top of all of that would doubtless destroy her psyche, or just drive her further into isolation.  
  
It was a lose-lose situation all around.  
  
Taking the initiative this time, Bernadetta finally gained the courage to speak first. “A-Alistair…? Have you… actually killed someone before?”  
  
I was taken aback slightly by the bluntness of Bernadetta’s question, struggling to find an answer. Eventually I calmed myself, clearing my throat.  
  
“Yes, I have,” I said, a noticeable shakiness in my voice. “Two people in fact, both of them bandits. That was during the training exercise with Edelgard before school started.”  
  
Suddenly, Caspar’s statement from yesterday came flooding back. ‘They’re bandits. I think people are gonna be thanking us afterwards,’ and suddenly I felt my blood boil just a bit from the recollection. Yeah, they might have just been “bandits”. They’ve probably raped, killed and stolen more times than I could count, but they were ultimately still people at their core, rotten morals aside. _I still felt them die on my blade. I was never going to forget that for as long as I lived._ _  
_ _  
_“But,” I continued. “You’re not going to be alone there, you’ll have the Professor, Edelgard, everyone will be watching your back, okay? We’re a team, and we help each other out, no matter what storm comes our way.”  
  
I heard some more noises from the other side of the door, and some kind of muffled noise from Bernadetta’s mouth. I allowed my hand traces over the door’s design and sighed.  
  
“Look, Bernadetta, I can’t blame you for wanting to stay here and not have to kill, I really don’t. But odds are that Seteth himself will probably come with the master key and make you come out. Please, at least come to dinner, okay?”  
  
I couldn’t quite make out Bernadetta’s response, but I swear I hear an “Okay…”  
  
A small smile crossed my face as I stood up straight. “That’s all I’m asking. I’m not gonna kick down your door, okay? If you’re gonna eat some dinner, we’ll all see you at the mess hall.”  
  
With that, I turn away from Bernadetta’s door, heading in the direction towards dinner. I think that went… okay? It was a start, and obviously it’d be a process, but maybe I could do something to help Bernadetta out? I was far from a qualified psychologist, but it was better than just letting the girl rot in her room alone.  
  
But as I turned to leave, I swear I heard a door opening slowly behind me, but as I began to turn around, I heard a sharp “Eep!” followed by said door closing.  
  
I couldn’t help but smirk. “Never change Bernie-bear, never change.”

* * *

Roughly two days left before we leave for the big mission, and I think I was getting a routine down pat. Mornings were taken up by classes with Byleth, afternoons involved a light lunch followed by a good jog to shake off the morning rust and then training time, either with a dummy or with a sparring partner. I was also getting more used to the weight of an iron sword, as I practiced my slashes and thrusts against the hapless training dummy before me.  
  
“Nngh! Hah!” I grunted, trying to visualize the dummy as an actual enemy. If the prologue fight and mock battle taught me anything, it was that movement was key and you had to keep attacking from different angles, never using the same strike more than twice in a row. It was far from easy, but I was slowly but surely getting the hang of it.  
  
That being said, I couldn’t help but feel a touch lonely after classes sometimes. Everyone was off making their last minute preparations for the mission, even Bernadetta was getting ready shockingly!   
  
I still couldn’t fathom as to why we were leaving two weeks early before the end of the month, like in the game. Looking at a map of Fodlan, Zanado was in the Oghma canyons, and it wasn’t that far from the monastery. Even on foot, it wouldn’t take us anymore than a week to get there, easily. Was it to account for the return journey, for navigating through the mountains? I tried asking Byleth, but all I got was a smile and a “It’ll be fine, you’re all ready”. Far from the answer I was looking for.  
  
Bah, I was getting sidetracked again.  
  
This time I focused more on evading with a follow up strike, something that would undoubtedly come in handy when facing bandits with axes, taking advantage of their recovery from a swing. But as I continued my practice, something didn’t quite… feel right. Like someone was watching me.  
  
A quick turnaround confirmed those suspicions. My audience consisted of a tall man with pale blonde hair held in the back with some kind of black bow, his clothes consisted of leather armor with armor covering his shoulder, and perhaps the most standout feature of all was the snow white mask that covered his face, save for his eyes.  
  
Hi, Jeritza, glad to meet you too, will you be committing a homicide today?  
  
Jeritza quickly noticed the fact that I had spotted him, his expression never changing. “Yes?” He droned, no doubt looking a touch annoyed.  
  
“Um… you’re… Professor Jeritza, correct?” I ask dumbly, already knowing the answer.  
  
“I am. What of it?” Jeritza asked, a short tone in his voice. God, talking with this guy was like trying to punch through steel.  
  
“Well… why were you watching me just now?” I asked.  
  
“...I was. Is that strange?” he asked, raising a visible eyebrow above his mask.  
  
This was not a conversation I wanted to have, least of all with fucking Jeritza. Unlike Bernadetta, I was nowhere near prepared nor able to handle this man’s psychological turmoil. If anything, I just needed to get the hell out there and away from this bloodthirsty psychopa-  
  
“You are frightened.” My blood, for the briefest of seconds, ran as cold as the deepest depths of an iceberg. W-What the hell did he just say? How did he even know, were my legs shaking, did my skin pale? What was this man’s deal? I said nothing, not even remotely sure of how to respond to the tall man looking down on me like I was a child. Probably because I was technically a child, at least in this body.  
  
“Duel me,” he said, though his tone made it sound more like a command.  
  
“W-Wha-?” I stammered as Jertiza walked over to the weapon rack, pulling out a dulled iron sword and tossing it to me before grabbing his own. Jeritza held his blade like a statue, his mask helping to hide whatever emotion his face might’ve had. He said nothing else, simply waiting for me to draw my own sword.  
  
“Oh my, he certainly looks a touch… unsavory. Do be careful, Cole,” I hear Sothis hum in my head. It was completely obvious advice that went without saying. While I recall Jeritza being more capable with lances, if that fucking scythe was anything go by, the man was brutally efficient as a killing machine. And then there was that split personality of his, the Death Knight. Take Darth Vader, give him an Agarthan scythe, put him on a horse and multiply his bloodlust by cancer.  
  
I take a deep breath, trying to focus on controlling my breathing before slowly drawing the training sword. For a few seconds, me and Jeritza just stared each other down, like it was the wild west. Of course, in this situation, I was very clearly not the ranger with the big iron on his hip.  
  
Within a few seconds, Jeritza effortlessly closed the gap between me and him, using his sword to completely disarm me as fast as lightning could strike. Already he had his blade pointed straight at me, signifying that he had won.  
  
“Pathetic.” His voice was about as sharp as his blade, his utter disinterest in me clear. “You are but a newborn pup in a world of lions.”  
  
Well, he could certainly be… wordy when he wanted to.  
  
Placing the sword back onto the rack, he looked at me with a look that screamed “You’re barely worth the time of day, you waste of flesh.” At least, that’s what I assumed it meant. I never claimed to be psychic.  
  
I shook my head, sighing. “I wasn’t exactly born with natural talent, you know? I’m still learning, still growing.”  
  
Jeritza kept his silence for a moment, until he finally spoke. “...If you wish to grow, do not idly wait for your opponent to strike first. Read their body, be like the wind.” And with those words of advice, he began to walk away, no doubt off to prepare for Flame Emperor and Agarthan related duties.  
  
I looked downward toward the blade that Jeritza had handed me, staring at it for a bit. And then it hit me. We’d be having to fight that monster eventually, even if we ignore his ass at the crypt, there was the Flayn Kidnapped arc, the Remire arc and of course Edelgard’s big war to look forward to. And he just made an absolute fool of me without even trying. I couldn’t help but feel the discouragement from a good couple of weeks ago come flooding back.  
  
I truly was fucked, in every conceivable notion.  
  
“Aha, Alistair! So this is where you stole away to!”  
  
I nearly jumped out of my skin from the sudden interruption, only to realize that Ferdinand had arrived, as chipper and proud as ever. I really had to stop jumping like that, I was scared far too easily.  
  
“Jeez, Ferdinand, could you be any louder? I swear they heard all the way from Almyra.”  
  
Ferdinand chuckled. “A noble must ensure that they are heard clearly when they must speak! If my voice can be heard from such a distance, then all the better!”  
  
I swear, the guy just took an off-hand jab and turned it into something positive. That’s one thing I always admired about Ferdinand, especially in his supports, and especially with Dorothea. Even if someone were to insult him, Ferdinand would just take that as something to improve on, rather than treat it like the insult it was. It was an admirable ethic, one I think people could stand to learn from a bit.  
  
“But aside from that, you do recall a few days ago when I asked for that talk?” Ferdinand asked, to which I nodded.  
  
“Of course I do. You said you needed to talk with me?”  
  
Ferdinand nodded, his demeanor changing to one more serious. “That I do. Please forgive me for probing, but, you are Alistair ‘Boramas’, correct? Son of the former Siegfried Boramas, former captain of Imperial Cavalry?”  
  
Well, that was certainly a badass name for my new dad to have. I rack my brain, trying to shift through the various memories like a toy box until I find something that confirms Ferdinand’s questions.  
  
“That’s right. Why do you ask?” To my dismay, Ferdinand offered a small bow.  
  
“So I may offer you a small apology in place of my father. I am… truly sorry, Alistair.”  
  
Now… this was a shocker if I ever saw one. Ferdinand was no stranger to apologies, that much I knew about him, but to actually offer a small bow? What in the hell did Count Aegir do to my- er, Alistair’s family?”  
  
“Hold on,” I began, taking a step back. “Let's back up a second here, what the heck are you going on about, Ferdinand?”  
  
“You mean you have no idea?” Ferdinand asked, his expression surprised. “Did your father ever tell you what happened to his position?”  
  
A cursory look at Alistair’s memories proved inconclusive. Alistair’s father wasn’t exactly the most talkative about his past outside of the blacksmithy. All he’d ever say was something like “Another story for another time, lad.” Or something along those lines. No wait, there was something… something about him silently cursing the Aegirs, promising something akin to divine retribution. It was a small thing, but telling.  
  
“Not entirely sure, Ferdinand. All he’s ever told me was that we left Enbarr around the time I turned four or five years old. After that, he took up blacksmithing. Why exactly are you apologizing anyway  
  
For a minute, Ferdinand actually looked away from me, as if embarrassed to admit to something personal. But he looked back, a neutral expression adorned on the noble’s face.  
  
“Because… of the Insurrection.” His voice was unsteady, “Siegfried Boramas was said to have made one final stand against my father in a final bid to support the new change in power. He just barely escaped with his life intact, and escaped to parts unknown.”  
  
Ah, there was a memory that was roughly around the time of the Insurrection. The problem with manually viewing memories like this is that when you try to view something from when you were but a small child, the details get a touch hazy, but I seem to remember my “father” rushing me and my mother down a hallway and onto a horse. After that, the memory simply gets far too misty.  
  
“I… think I remember something like that, if only a little bit. Like I said, I was far too young to remember any of the details,” I said. “Why exactly are you apologizing on behalf of your father anyway?”  
  
Ferdinand bit his lip ever so slightly, as if making sure he chose his next words carefully, to ensure the meaning wasn’t misconstrued. “Because… well, I suppose you can say that my father and I do not necessarily see eye-to-eye on certain issues,” he said. “Do not misunderstand, I do admire the work that my father does as the Prime Minister of the Empire. Although…”  
  
I fold my arms, waiting for Ferdinand to find his words. And just like realizing one left their car keys in the back pocket, he found them. “Although I do not agree with several of his other stances on life, to keep it simple.”  
  
“Sounds like it isn’t really a happy subject for you, Ferdinand, so I won’t do any probing,” I said, nodding. “But let me just say this.”  
  
“Of course, Alistair,” Ferdinand replied. “Please, speak your mind.”  
  
“You don’t have to apologize to me. You were probably no older than me when the Insurrection happened, so you have nothing to apologize for. Parents are parents, but you’re still yourself, you’re still free to make your own path in life.”  
  
I definitely lifted that one from Persona 4, but Ferdinand actually looked shocked regardless. Of course, the noblest of nobles was quick to recover his composure. “I shall… take those words under consideration,” he nodded. “Thank you, Alistair. I was struggling to find the right words for this talk.”  
  
“Anytime, Ferdinand,” I flashed a friendly smile. “Just remember, it’s not exactly a sensitive subject for me personally, I don’t even remember anything of Enbarr.”  
  
I had to wonder what Ferdinand would think of his father if it was ever revealed publicly that Count Aegir had a hand in what happened to Edelgard’s brothers and sisters? Could Ferdinand even be assed to forgive his father then? He was obviously competitive with Edelgard, but what if he learned how Count Aegir and the Agarthans basically tortured Edelgard and her family?  
  
“I suppose it really isn’t. Regardless, it was simply something I needed to get off my chest, metaphorically speaking. Please forgive me, Alistair”, Ferdinand bowed.  
  
“Now then, onto other topics, I believe I saw Professor Jeritza exiting the premises before my arrival. Did you have a discussion with him?” Oh fuck, he saw that? Jeez, definitely not one of my finest hours. Didn’t need Edelgard seeing that either. Oh, who the fuck am I kidding, Jeritza probably reports to Edelgard and Hubert, and Hubert’s gonna get a good laugh at my expense.  
  
Well, more of a chuckle really.  
  
“If by ‘discussion’ you mean ‘kicking my ass into next week’, then yeah, we had a very productive discussion,” I shrug. Wasn’t about to lie to save face, no shame in admitting when I lost.  
  
“I-I see. Well, do not be so harsh on yourself, Alistair! Though I cannot truly get a reading on the man himself, Professor Jeritza is an accomplished professor for his age, much like Professor Byleth! There is no shame in having lost to such a distinguished warrior!”  
  
“Yes, Cole~ Do tell how you valiantly held your ground as your weapon was knocked away from you not even five seconds into the match~”  
  
Shut. Up. Sothis. 

  
“Regardless, the hour grows late, Alistair. Let us endeavor to perform our upcoming mission with the strength and vigor that men raised in the Aegir region are known for!” Ferdinand exclaimed, causing me to smile.  
  
“We can do it, no doubts about that,” I said as Ferdinand offered me a friendly handshake, to which I returned with a nod. That’s right, we _could_ do this. Didn’t matter what Jeritza or anyone else said, this was only the first step. And there was no way I was fumbling the ball after coming this far, now was I? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another smaller, slower burn chapter that introduces Jeritza! Don't you worry, I have plans for him in the future! We also get some backstory for Alistair's family! Also some a hint at the beginning as to what may change in the future! Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Come join us at our Discord if you're so inclined! We shall welcome you with open arms. https://discord.gg/9XG3U7a


	8. Familiar Scenery

If there was something about the Garreg Mach uniforms that I was thankful for, it was the fact that our boots doubled as hiking boots. Which was great, considering that we had no horses for this mission, given the bandits were close enough to the monastery that the Church had deemed horses entirely unnecessary.  
  
It was a fucking stupid decision.  
  
But at least I learned why we had to leave two weeks before the in-game deadline for the mission. Because it’d take us a week to get to the location and back to the monastery overall, and the extra week was meant as something of a way to destress and relax afterwards. In hindsight, it was actually pretty lucky Zanado was so close to Garreg Mach.  
  
“After this mission, I believe you all will have earned a slight reprieve,” Byleth explained, giving us a motherly smile. See, now that was awesome, almost something that Manuela would’ve done, if only because Manuela probably wanted that week to get drunk off her ass.  
  
But regardless, the trek was something that could charitably be described as about as fun as a dentist appointment. And the dentist had no mints or gifts to give you after the job was done. Just a date for a tooth filling. God I hated the fucking dentist. Probably the one thing I don’t miss from home to be honest.  
  
Our march was something of a formation by itself. Byleth, Edelgard and Ferdinand took the front, while me, Petra and Caspar took the rear to ensure that we weren’t taken by surprise. It was a fairly effective system, melees in the front and back, keeping all the ranged fighters and our friendly, if lazy as hell healer in the center. Of course we weren’t really expecting any kind of organized ambush, especially not from an unorganized group of brigands, but it was better to be than sorry.  
  
“Ugh...” Caspar groaned, hefting his axe onto his shoulder. “Are we there yet?”  
  
Turning back, Linhardt gave Caspar a blank look. “Caspar, the answer will undoubtedly be the same as when you asked an hour ago; ‘We will get there when we get there.’”  
  
“But we’ve been on the road for two days now! We’ve gotta be close by now, yeah?!”  
  
“Caspar, you are needing to be saving your energy,” Petra chimed in. “Yelling will only be hastening your exhaustion.”  
  
“She’s got a point Caspar,” I shrug. “If you wanna be fighting at your best, you gotta save your energy. Save the shouting for the actual brigands and not waste it on the rocks.”  
  
Caspar took a deep breath, recollecting himself as he sighed. “Yeah, I know you guys are right, it’s just… I’ve been waiting for this for so long, to feel what an actual fight feels like. This is a big moment, and I can’t afford to mess up now, you know?”  
  
Honestly, I’ve played through both the Silver Snow and Crimson Flower routes, I’ve known the dude for at least a couple of weeks now, and I just couldn’t get a read on Caspar’s mindset. It was obvious he wanted to make his own path in life, given the fact that he’s not the heir to his house, but even he had to know that we were marching off to kill people, yeah? Was he just trying to act tough when he was scared as hell? That had to be the case, considering Caspar wasn’t any older than sixteen years old. There was no way a kid his age could be this dense about the idea of killing someone.  
  
The other sucky part about the mountains was how easily it caused a sense of vertigo for me the moment I looked down. I don’t even think we could see the ground from where we were, and the wind blowing past my ears wasn’t exactly helping with this sensation.  
  
Bernadetta, for her part, wasn’t so much whimpering but shivering from the high elevation and chilly weather, though it certainly helped that her uniform doubled as a hoodie of sorts. Wish I had that. “Can’t stand the stupid cold…” she whined, throwing her hoodie over her messy hair. “Should’ve just stayed inside… now I’m gonna be cold _and_ dead by the end of all this.”  
  
“It’ll be fine, Bern! It’s just some disorganized bandits, it’ll be no trouble at all!” Dorothea smiled, trying to reassure the Varley heir.  
  
“I’d once again advise against reckless overconfidence, but I doubt my advice would be heeded at this point,” Linhardt said, sighing. I had to give him credit, at least the dude wasn’t passing out in the middle of the road. Probably because there were better places to take a nap, but the point still stands.  
  
“Quiet, the lot of you,” Hubert suddenly interjected, looking more akin to the grim reaper than a human being. “Lady Edelgard and the Professor say that we are nearly there. Once we make contact with the Knights of Seiros, we shall devise our strategy and prepare for battle at once.”  
  
Huh, I don’t think that was ever really brought up in the game. True, they did mention that we’d have the Knights as support, but we usually just went straight into the pre-battle phase after the story fluff. It’d probably explain map knowledge at least, scouts and the like.  
  
“Finally!” Caspar grinned ear to mouth. “I’ve been waiting for this!”

One final ridge passed and we were finally close to what I assumed was the base camp for the Knights. At that moment, an armor clad fellow bounded up to Byleth and Edelgard, giving the duo a polite salute.  
  
“The Black Eagles and their Professor, I assume?” he asked, his expression unreadable thanks to the full suit of armor he was wearing, but I could only assume that he was acting stern and professional under that helmet.  
  
“That would be us,” Byleth said. “Explain the situation in full, please.” Wow, okay, back into the stoic mercenary mode are we, Byleth? Though, given our situation, it probably made sense to turn on the serious “Ashen Demon” face. This was a life or death scenario after all.  
  
“Right away,” the young knight said, leading us into a small tent, and with it, a map of what seemed to be the immediate area. “We’ve been able to keep the bandits as contained as we can, but unfortunately, due to the layout of the area, we’ve only managed to secure a singular point of entry, right at the front here.” He pointed to the bottom, just south of what seemed to be some kind of bridge.  
  
“So our only option is to push forward?” Edelgard raised an eyebrow. “I must admit that such a straightforward plan, even against simple brigands has me… concerned.”  
  
“Our scouts haven’t reported anything along the likes of traps, Lady Edelgard,” the knight said. “It would seem this lot’s quite low on supplies, having just come from… Remire Village, was it?”  
  
That got my attention. Almost instinctively, Edelgard, Byleth and I all traded looks with one another. Was this seriously the exact same group? No way it could be, Kostas was dead, they should’ve all scattered like flies. You cut off the head, the snake should die, right?  
  
“Remire?” Byleth said, her tone convoying our shared disbelief. “Are you absolutely sure?”  
  
“Given the recent bandit attack on Remire, and Remire’s proximity to the Red Canyon and Oghma Mountains, the likelihood is high,” the knight nodded. Guess bandit leaders really were a dime a dozen in Fire Emblem. Didn’t matter if your name was Kostas or Batta the Beast, odds are there was always someone waiting in the wings to taste some power all for themselves.  
  
“Are you familiar with these ruffians, professor?” Ferdinand asked.  
  
“You could certainly say that,” Byleth nodded. “I would’ve thought they would disband after I killed their leader, but I suppose not.”  
  
“A bandit is like a weed, professor,” Hubert added. “If you kill one, another will eventually take their place, it matters not how many you slay.”  
  
Certainly a grim way of looking at it, Hubert, but I get the logic. People wouldn’t be happy with their lot in life, no matter how perfect the world was, so some would inevitably turn to banditry and thievery. For Fodlan, or any medieval society in general, this was just a fact of life, pure and simple. It wasn’t like you could just outlaw the idea of being a thief or a bandit after all.  
  
Edelgard shook her head, gesturing to the map of the area. “Regardless, we shall need to come up with a plan in order to dislodge these bandits from the Red Canyon. Professor, do you have any possible stratagems?”  
  
Byleth took a look at the map before her, scanning it with the kind of gaze I expected from a woman who was raised as an effective killing machine. She examined every pathway, every nook and cranny like a hawk. Then she turned to the knight once more. “If our only pathway is through the bridge to the south, then we have no choice but to proceed through there as our first move.”  
  
Her gaze moved to Ferdinand and Caspar. “Ferdinand, Caspar, I want you two to serve as our metaphorical spear for this part. You’ll clear the way for us to move across the bridge while Dorothea and Bernadetta cover your advance. From here, the road will split into two with a backroad to the west and another bridge to the north.”  
  
Caspar’s glee was utterly infectious. “It's about time! I won't let ya down, professor!”  
  
Edelgard leaned down, taking another look at the map. “It might be prudent to take advantage of the backroad after crossing the bridge, professor. If we were to send in a strike team to flank the enemy, while drawing the focus of the bandits towards a certain area, then we could entrap the enemy with a pincer attack.”  
  
Byelth nodded at her student. “An excellent idea Edelgard, but who can we afford to spare…?” the professor mused, her eyes turning to me, Petra and Hubert. Looks like we have our lucky winners, ladies and germs.  
  
“Alistair, Hubert, Petra, can I entrust you three with this task?” Byleth asked.  
  
“I will get us the victory, Professor Byleth,” Petra nodded, a smile adorned onto her face. Seems like she was just as ready as Caspar to show her stuff, though she was certainly more composed.  
  
“If this shall pave the way toward victory for Lady Edelgard, then so be it.” Hubert’s tone indicated that he wasn’t exactly thrilled by the prospect of being separated from his “Lady Edelgard”, but I doubt even Hubert was going to argue with Byleth on the matter, especially if the pincer attack was Edelgard’s idea.  
  
“Count me in,” I said, causing Edelgard to smile.  
  
“Very well. Now with that taken care of… Black Eagles, fall in!” Edelgard ordered, causing us to turn to her. “Each and every one of us stands on the precipice of greatness, and this is only the beginning. Our deeds today will only be the start of a glorious year for the Black Eagles. Fight hard, my classmates, fight in the name of the Black Eagles, for Adrestia!”  
  
A collective cheer rang out in the tent, though some like Hubert merely smiled and nodded. Even Ferdinand, as competitive with Edelgard as he was, couldn’t help but join in the cheer. It was like one of those big team pep talks you see in movies all the time, where everyone got pumped as hell, a true trope. And as cliched as it was, it certainly did its job.  
  
Byleth, in turn, held her hand outstretched, ready to give the order to march.  
  
“Black Eagles, move out!”

* * *

There were many things that preoccupied Chief Arii’s mind as she frantically began to toss about different ideas in her head. For one, there was the simple fact that following her adoptive father’s demise at Remire, she was suddenly in charge of a bunch of bastard thieves and murderers and now fully expected to keep them together. While a better planner than old man Kostas, leadership was far from her area of expertise.  
  
There was also the fact that she had led her men into what could charitably be described as a kill box. In her haste to escape the Knights of Seiros, Ari had decided to lead her group into the nearest group of mountains, in a mad bid to try and lose them. A horrible decision, really, considering that they now had nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide.  
  
“Our arses are right fucked, aren’t they?” she chuckled emptily to herself.  
  
Sighing, she picked herself back up. What the bloody hell was she doing, they’d been in worse scraps than this! Screw the knights, screw the bloody employer, Ari was finishing this job her way, damn it!  
  
“C-Chief!” a younger man stammered, scrambling into the room in a hurry. “It’s the Knights! We think they’re trying to make a move!”  
  
So it’s come to this, then? Right… time to get a little creative.  
  
“Oi, Erickson? We still got the backroad on lockdown then?”  
  
The messenger fumbled his words a bit before responding. “A-Aye, Chief! The Knights have only just begun moving it seems, doubtless that they haven’t gotten far at all.”  
  
Ari smirked. Maybe she could wing this after all.

* * *

In stark contrast to our pre-battle cheer, our approach was deathly quiet. The only sounds that were audible were our own footsteps, and even then, we worked to ensure they were as quiet as could be. I was in the backline, along with Hubert and Petra. Petra I had no trouble working with. Hubert? Mr. “I must retreat”? Gotta admit, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about that idea. But orders were orders, it wasn't like I could argue with Edelgard and Byleth on the matter. Just had to pray that I didn’t get Hubert mad enough for him to “accidentally” hit me in the face with one of those spells of his.  
  
Finally, the bridge sat in front of us, two bandits already on the lookout, and already we were spotted. But I suppose the bandits were probably expecting more suits of armor and not children armed with lethal weapons, because they weren’t attacking straight away. They were looking at us, trying to gauge if we were a threat or not.  
  
Ferdinand and Caspar’s charge answered that question. Ferdinand was the first to engage, deftly dodging the bandit’s heavy swings, slashing and stabbing with his spear until the bandit moved no more.  
  
“These ruffians are no match for a noble like me!”  
  
Caspar, for his part, fared roughly about the same. His opponent was a bit faster, but Caspar, in contrast to his brash and headstrong attitude, refused to commit to a swing from his axe, instead looking for the right moment to strike until his axe found a nice home in the bandit’s skull. Panting a bit, Caspar regained his senses.  
  
“Are all real battles this exciting?! Come on, let’s get onto the next one!” he bellowed, though I couldn’t help but notice a bit of shakiness in his voice, as if he himself was unsure how true his declaration was.  
  
I turned to face my classmates and the reactions I saw were roughly about what I expected. Edelgard, Byleth and Hubert all looked as cool as a cucumber, their faces betraying no emotion that may have been lurking beneath. Bernadetta, rather predictably, let out a small “Eep!” in response the grisly scene before her, doing her best to look away from the bloodied corpses.  
  
“Soo...” Dorothea’s voice was touch uneven, trying her best not to stare at the men who had once been counted amongst the living. “Is making us experience a ‘real’ battle part of the Church’s teachings?"  
  
“We’ve little time to discuss the matter, Dorothea,” Hubert said. “For now, we must keep moving.”  
  
Across the bridge were two more unlucky bandits, both of them throwing caution to the wind and charging forward with a battle cry. Dorothea’s fire magic put a quick end to at least one of them, the bandit screaming in agony as the fire cooked him inside and out, until his skin was thoroughly ashened. Bernadetta’s arrow, despite her own reservations about the battle, struck the other bandit right in the middle of his forehead. Two more down, several more to go.  
  
“I-I don’t care if they’re thieves, can I go home now?!” Bernadetta squirmed, again turning her eyes away from the carnage. Well… at least she wasn’t a total crying mess, just half of one. Dorothea wasn’t exactly taking her first kill much better, even if she didn’t have to feel him die. I could see her turn visibly green as she tried to compose herself, to little effect. God, I could still smell the burning…  
  
“Excellent teamwork thus far, everyone,” Edelgard said. “But now is the time we put our plan into action. From here, we shall divide into two while our main force gathers the bandit’s attention. Move around the backlines and we can quickly crush this band of thugs with a decisive pincer attack.”  
  
The area itself was pretty similar to the main plains area of the Zanado map from the game, but the terrain wasn’t nearly as flat. Rocks and ruins littered the area leading to the backroad, while the area that Edelgard intended to take was considerably more flat. Definitely more ideal for moving a larger group.  
  
“We shall not let you down, Lady Edelgard,” Hubert bowed, shooting a glance in my direction that practically said, “Do not hold me back, you pile of human waste.”  
  
He was just a lovely person to be around, really.  
  
“Now then,” Byleth said, turning to the rest of the class. “Stay together, everyone, and do not break formation. Black Eagles, move out!” Ferdinand and Caspar were the first to move up, followed by Edelgard and Byleth, and of course the rest of our ranged support. That left me, Hubert and Petra to begin our own advance down the back roads. The Nabatean ruins slowed us down a bit, but it didn’t take very long at all until we were right before the bridge that led right to where we needed to go.  
  
“No heroics, Mr. Boramas,” Huber scowled at me, looking at me like something you scrape off the sole of your boot. “I will not have you charge off in some vain attempt to gain glory, is that clear?”  
  
One that irritated me about Hubert was his thinly veiled contempt for everyone around him whose name wasn’t Edelgard. Sure, when you were playing the game, it was kinda fun to watch him and Ferdinand argue over that kind of stuff in their support dialogue, but when you were actually on the receiving end of it, it was actually pretty goddamn annoying. He was loyal, yes, but Hubert was also loyal to a fault.  
  
Not wanting to incite any arguments in our merry little band, I opted to ignore him as Petra scouted ahead, darting behind rocks and ruins as she signaled us to move forward quietly.  
  
“The enemy is absent…” Petra noted. “I was to be expecting a stronger resistance, were I to be more truthful.”  
  
Petra made a good point, there didn’t seem to be any bandits here. You’d think they’d at least have a couple of guys guarding the backroad, seeing as how it’s basically a straight shot to the enemy camp  
  
“Something about this doesn’t seem right…” I muttered.  
  
“For once, I agree with you, Alistair. However, we still have our role to play, so move forward, but move cautiously.” With that, Hubert himself began advancing past us, leaving Petra and me to follow behind. I could’ve sworn I heard something in the cliffs above us, but thought nothing of it.  
  
But at that moment…  
  
“Charge em’, lads!”  
  
Fantastic, we had walked smack dab into a fucking ambush on our first mission. Wasn’t that great? Four bandits from behind and in front of us suddenly emerged, cutting off both avenues of escape for me, Hubert and Petra. It was do or die time. I saw one of them charging at me with his sword drawn, but managed to deliver a kick to stun him long enough to unsheathe my sword.  
  
Except it wasn't enough time to react to the bandit charging at my rear.  
  
“Eat this, ye little piece of shite!”  
  
I turned around as quickly as I could, only to find my assailant’s axe mere inches away from my face. Time seemed to slow down as the blade inched closer and closer to my face. Whether it was instinct or fear, I couldn’t help but close my eyes and await for the inevitable pain and death that would soon follow.  
  
Only nothing happened. Actually, scratch that, something did happen, but it wasn’t anything involving an axe. Faintly, I heard the shattering of glass followed by absolute stillness and silence.  
  
Confused, I slowly opened my eyes to find the bandit was frozen stiff. No… it wasn’t just him. The other bandits, Hubert and Petra had all been frozen as well, their expressions locked in place as Petra dodged an axe gracefully and Hubert had recovered from a dodge roll, preparing a spell to lodge at an unfortunate enemy. Time itself had frozen.  
  
That’s when it hit me.  
  
“Divine Pulse…?” I mumbled.  
  
“W-What in the world were you thinking?!” Sothis’ voice slashed through the complete silence like a hot knife. Almost immediately, I felt my consciousness lurch itself inwards and before I knew it, I was right in front of Sothis in her little mind palace once again. Or… our mind palace, I guess. The fully grown goddess was looking none too pleased about the situation, outright standing up from her stone throne as she peered down from on high.  
  
“What have I been stressing to impart on you these last few weeks?! Ensure that you stay amongst the living, for we share the same life, Cole! But of course, you choose now to make a mistake in battle that would surely cost you your head, nay, OUR head!” Sothis paced back and forth like a ranting, over-protective mother, flailing her arms about as she continued her spiel. Really, some things really did never change, no matter how short or tall Sothis was.  
  
“You finished, Sothis?” My tone was relatively nonplussed, which was fairly surprising considering how close an axe had come to my face.  
  
Sothis glared daggers at me as she fought to catch her breath, looking as if she had one more thing to say, but she sighed instead, letting whatever it was die in her mouth. “I have a considerable amount more I wish to say, but I suppose that was the long and short of it.” Looking a bit more calm, Sothis reclined back into her chair.  
  
“Alright then, cause I have a few questions myself,” I said. “Namely, why the heck was I able to use the Divine Pulse? Isn’t that your whole deal?”  
  
Leaning forward, Sothis brought her index finger and thumb to her chin as she thought deeply. “Yes, that was the next thing I wished to discuss with you. Although I wouldn’t say that you used the Divine Pulse in its entirety, merely that you managed to stop the hands of time without any interference from myself, which still puzzles me.”  
  
I raised an eyebrow. “How does that puzzle you, exactly? Aren’t you… well, inside of me? I thought Divine Pulse came with that packaged?”  
  
Sothis shook her head, groaning. “What I am getting at is that I still would’ve had to have taught you how to properly use the Divine Pulse itself and lend you that power directly. It is not as simple as merely willing time to stop and rewind the hands of fate, there is a process one must learn. Even with my essence inside of you, you should not be able to simply do that.”  
  
Wait, that wasn’t Sothis that stopped time then? I thought that it was Sothis who stopped time for Byleth first and then taught her how to control it? So that was partially me?  
  
“Partially, yes,” Sothis nodded, reading my mind literally. “Yes, I suppose that does make some sense. If we are supposedly linked in a similar manner as I was with Byleth, then it does stand to reason that certain stimuli could trigger a Divine Pulse in one as untrained as you, even by accident.”  
  
I shrugged my shoulders. “And here I thought I was on top of things.”  
  
Sothis gave me a shit eating smirk. “Do not think you can keep outpacing a goddess, dear Cole. But enough of that, what are your plans now that you are aware of the ambush? Even with the use of a Divine Pulse, you cannot hope to turn back the hands of time without a plan in mind.”  
  
“Of course not,” I shook my head. “I just need a plan to deal with the ambush…” I certainly didn’t sound very confident in my ability to get out of this situation. I don’t think I could rewind back to before the battle and just try to not get stuck with pincer duty, could I?  
  
“Four men is hardly an ambush against three people if you go about this wisely, Cole. You need not use anything extravagant to thin their numbers, so long as you tilt the scales back toward your side.” Sothis’ words struck a chord with me right then. Didn’t two bandits try charging me at roughly the same time? Hold on… maybe, just maybe I didn’t need to waste time drawing my sword for both of them. Maybe I could use one of them to take out the other for me.  
  
“I can most certainly sense a plan brewing,” Sothis said. “If you feel prepared, then come, I shall bequeath to you the secrets of the Divine Pulse.”  
  
Approaching Sothis, I blinked as she placed a hand to my chest, a magical glow emanating from said hand as I felt a sudden warmth enter my body. “The Divine Pulse can be likened to a physical exercise, something that will become easier over time,” she continued. “You must mentally grasp the hands of time, will them to stop and to pull them backwards to your destination. Keep in mind, however, that your body will only allow you to reverse the hands of time twice per day, at least as you are now. Anymore beyond that, and I dread to imagine the strain that could be put on your body.”  
  
That I could understand. Byleth was special, she had the actual Crest Stone inside of her, whereas I was stuck with only the “essence” of Sothis inside me, not the “heart”. So in short, I only had two shots at this. No pressure or anything.  
  
“Now go! You, the unmarked flame, master the flow of time to gain the answers you seek.” Sothis’ voice suddenly became just a hint more mystical, but before I could even begin to question what my being an “unmarked flame” meant, I was already back to where I was previously. Namely facing down the still time frozen bandit.  
  
Right then… How did it work again? Mentally grasp the hands of time, then force them to stop and reverse backwards? Fucking hell, Sothis, you could be a little more clearer about this. I take a deep breath, trying to mentally focus on reversing time. I could feel an energy begin to swirl inside of me slowly as, lo and behold, everything began to reverse! And if I will time to stop… boom, it paused! I think I was getting the hang of it, it was like a mental TV remote.  
  
Okay, now that I was getting the hang of this, it was time to put my plan into action. Looking to the rear, there was indeed someone running up to me with a battle axe, right as I was focusing on the guy in front. Drawing my sword would take too long, I wasn’t exactly master of the instant draw after all. So why not use the guy in front as a kind of meatshield? While the other guy tries to get his axe out of his friend’s skull, I’ll use that chance to strike. Suddenly four against three turns into three against two, far better odds for us I say.  
  
Using the Pulse, I manage to rewind time right back to our careful approach up the trail, the suddenness of the effect slightly disorienting me, but it wasn’t terribly bad. We stayed ever so quiet, just like before, but this time I took note of the bandits moving above us, focusing in on their footsteps.  
  
“I think I just heard something,” I said in a hushed whisper. “It could be an ambush, be careful.”  
  
Petra nodded wordlessly and Hubert followed suit. “Implementing caution, are we? I suppose there is hope for you after all.”  
  
And just like before...  
  
“Charge em’, lads!”  
  
Yup, here they came again. But this time we weren’t caught completely off guard. This go around, Hubert had already seemingly been preparing a spell for just such an occasion, and took the opportunity to toss it right at one of the bandits in front of the ambush. The man collapsed as the Reason based spell burned away at his skin, not unlike Dorothea’s earlier fire spell, but somehow the effect was even more grotesque.  
  
A bellowing roar from behind me signaled the rear bandit was ready to attack, but this time I had my plan. Like before, I kicked the sword wielding man, but this time I used the opportunity to grab my disoriented foe and with some considerable effort, used his own weight to turn him around and take the axe for me.  
  
“W-What the-?!” the bandit exclaimed. He wasn’t expecting that one. Slipping out from behind the now dead meatshield, I unsheathed my blade and took advantage of the confused bandit’s futile attempts to remove his axe hastily. It was a simple task to shove my blade right through the bandit’s neck and separate his head from the rest of his body.  
  
Another notch for my body count, two if you count the guy I used as a bodyshield. I was getting slowly better at this, better at ending a person’s life. How fun. How fucking sickening.  
  
“Calm your heart, young Cole. Your plan worked, did it not? You should be proud!”  
  
Proud. That was a real funny way of putting it.  
  
Petra was quick to dispatch her own adversary, taking a deep breath and mumbling words that I couldn’t quite understand. Was she speaking the Brigad tongue to herself? I could only assume it was her own first kill quote, something about calming your heart? Wish she could tell me how that was done.  
  
“An annoyance to be sure, but the way is clear. Let us proceed forward.” Hubert simply shrugged off the attack as something as minor as taking out the garbage, no more, no less. Yeah, I was fully convinced that Hubert’s definitely killed someone before coming to Garreg Mach.  
  
Then again, I was technically in the same boat, I suppose.

* * *

  
By the time we had made it to our position, the battle was nearly over, and of course Byleth and Edelgard were more than holding their own. Ferdinand and Caspar looked a touch winded, but no worse for wear regardless. Dorothea and Bernadetta looked barely scratched from the looks of things, and dead bandits littered the battlefield. If anything, it seemed as if there was no real need for a pincer attack anymore.  
  
Though we had seemingly drawn out their leader. She was a tall woman, easily around the same height as Kostas, her muscles were pronounced and her armor a mixture of leathers and animal furs. With the helmet she wore, I could’ve mistaken her for a female version of Shao Kahn. Only she was considerably less intimidating than the actual Shao Kahn if she couldn’t hold her own against a young Edelgard.  
  
“Spoiled noble little shite… just roll over and die like a good little rich kid!” she spat, causing Edelgard to groan in disgust.  
  
“Do you truly think being born a commoner gives you the right to kill and steal as you please? Despicable.”  
  
The leader let out one final roar, seemingly risking everything on a desperate final charge, not unlike how Kostas charged Edelgard before. But this time, Edelgard stood ready, parrying the woman’s strike and slashing across her chest, leaving the bandit with a large, bloody gash in her chest.  
  
“H-How…?” she mumbled, before collapsing into a bloody heap. The rest of the bandits were quick to notice their fallen leader and just like before, and promptly dropped their weapons in shock, fleeing right across the bridge in a panic.  
  
Unlucky for them because we were already there, ready to strike.  
  
Petra took the first one, effortlessly gutting the man like a fish. Hubert, without even a hint of emotion lobbed another dark spell at another man’s face, and me? All I could do as the man in front of me dropped to his knees in a panic, blubbering incoherently.  
  
“M-Mercy!” I beg of ye!” he pleaded. For a second, I stood frozen and looked down at the sniveling wreck of a man and back to my sword. Was I really about to kill a defenseless man in cold blood? Sure, at this point I was no stranger to taking a life, but this guy had already thrown away his weapon, he was surrendering. “I swear, I’ll turn meself in all peaceful-like, just spare me!”  
  
“Pathetic,” Hubert said with venom laced in his voice. Another spell cast and the man before me was nothing more than a smoking corpse.  
  
That certainly got my atentiont. “Hubert, what the hell?! He was already surrendering, there wasn’t any need to slaughter him!”  
  
Hubert simply looked at me and sighed, shaking his head. “Alistair, what were you expecting? That he repent for the lives that he took at Remire? That he magically turns over a new leaf? He was a brigand, you fool. Even if we turned him over, the knights would surely execute him where he stood. In that sense, it would do him a kindness to simply get it over with, rather than fill him with some form of false hope.”  
  
You know those moments as a kid where you’re in an argument with your parents, and they make one very good point and you’re struggling to find some kind of retort? Well, that was basically me right now. If you look at it from pure, cold logic, then yes, Hubert was totally correct, but there was just some part of me that couldn’t come to grips with something like that. He might’ve been a brigand, but he had also thrown away his weapon. There wasn’t any need to be cruel to him.  
  
Before I could say anything else, Petra put a hand to my shoulder, shaking her head. “Be at ease, Alistair. The victory is belonging to us, no? There is no need to be arguing.”  
  
I let out a deep breath, trying to calm down. Petra was right, there no need to be picking fights with Hubert right now. We won, and that’s what mattered at the end of the day. I took the time to finally sheathe my blade as the rest of the Black Eagles bounded up to us.  
  
“I suppose a pincer attack was unnecessary,” Edelgard smiled. “It seems that their leader thought it wise to divide half of her forces toward setting up an ambush. But it seems that wasn’t enough to deter you three. You’ve all done exceptionally well today.”  
  
“No more than you deserve, Lady Edelgard,” Hubert bowed. It was almost comical how his tone softened around Edelgard.  
  
“And thank you, Professor Byleth,” Edelgard said, turning to face Byleth. “It was your tactics and strength that ultimately saw us through the day.”  
  
“No, Edelgard.” Byleth shook her head. “It was each and every one of you that contributed to our victory. It’s only been two weeks and already I can see growth from all of you.” There was a certain hint of jubilation in the air following that, smiles on nearly everyone for pulling through in our first big battle. The only exceptions being Bernadetta, who was already scared of life anyway, and Linhardt, who didn’t really have that much to do here, considering that no one was seriously hurt. If anything, it looked like he was ready to fall asleep standing up.  
  
“Now then,” Byleth took a deep breath, looking at each and every one of us. “I believe our job is done here, and before the day is out too. We will reconvene with the Knights and head back to the monastery as soon as possible. Black Eagles, move out!” The rest of the class shuffled after Byleth, leaving only me behind. I can’t explain why, but there was something about Zanado that compelled me to stay and observe.  
  
Ruins as far the eye can see, with the very occasional scribble of what I assumed was a long since dead language. But once there had been a great city here, a flourishing one. I could practically see the hustle and bustle of passerby and trade, the chipper faces of the people, almost as if the city were still standing. In fact, I could literally see it. Imagine the phantom thing from Dark Souls, but applied to not just humans, but bits and pieces of the city itself. Granted, I couldn't really make out details, but the basic shapes were there.   
  
“Zanado...” Sothis sighed wistfully. “By the stars, I can scarcely recognize it. Little more than rubble… I wonder if little Seiros managed to salvage or rebuild our home…”  
  
Wait, Sothis had a house?  
  
“Of course I had a house, you lummox! What, do you think that a lady and her family would be content to sit out in the cold rain without a roof over our heads?! Honestly, the nerve!”  
  
Good grief, this woman could go from melancholy to irritated on a literal dime.   
  
“Well, at any rate, I doubt there will be much to find here. Go on, Cole, rejoin your comrades.” With that, Sothis fell silent once more, probably taking another nap as I could hear the faint sounds of footsteps approaching from behind.  
  
“Alistair?” I heard Edelgard ask. “Is something the matter?”  
  
I shook my head. “Sorry, Edelgard, don’t mind me, just lost in thought, that’s all.”  
  
Couldn’t exactly say that I could see bits and pieces of a phantom city, now could I?

* * *

  
The journey back to the Monastery wasn’t eventful in the slightest. Idle banter kept us from going utterly braindead along the way, but it wasn’t like anyone was jumping us or anything of the sort. Then again, trying to rob ten people armed with spears, swords and axes would probably be the single worst choice a person could make that day.  
  
As we walked through the Monastery town, we could see all the common folk dancing in the street, singing songs in honor of the various saints of the Church, joyfully clapping, or in some cases playing an instrument of some kind. That’s right, the Harpstring Moon generally involved a lot of celebration, didn’t it? And in just a couple of months, we’ll be celebrating the whole Rite of Rebirth.  
  
Honestly, it was hard to not smile at their celebration, even if certain sourpusses, namely one Vestra heir, continued their perpetual downer mood. Fuck you too, killjoy.  
  
Yeah, in the short time that I’ve known him, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to like Hubert.  
  
Seteth was right there in the Entrance Hall, alongside Rhea herself. Right next to me, I could practically feel Edelgard tense up the minute she laid eyes on the Archbishop, a very subtle but otherwise still fairly noticeable disdain in her eyes.  
  
“Ah, Professor Eisiner,” Seteth said. “We received word from the Knights just this morning on the success of your mission, and well within the month too. I must say, I wasn’t expecting your class to be quite this ready for their first combat mission so soon, but I suppose there’s a first time for everything.”  
  
“You are much too hard on her, Seteth,” Rhea chimed in. “What matters is that Professor Byleth has vanquished the bandits that have trespassed on holy ground, does it not?”  
  
Seteth seemed like he wanted to argue, but realized it was probably far too early in the day for him to get into any arguments with Rhea on Byleth’s appointment as professor. So he kept his peace, at least for now.  
  
Following that, Rhea turned to face each of us, a smile that hovered the edge between genuine and staged. “As for you all, I must congratulate each and every one of you all for disposing of those horrid bandits. I can only pray that their souls ultimately find salvation for their transgressions. Ultimately, we are still looking into how the bandits were able to so easily make their way onto holy grounds, so in the meantime, Professor, I would ask that you continue to lead these students well and relieve them of any unnecessary worry.”  
  
“Of course, Lady Rhea,” Byleth nodded, sporting a polite smile.  
  
“Splendid,” Rhea nodded. “Now then, Seteth and I must debrief your professor regarding our current findings on the bandit attack. Your classes shall resume as normal starting tomorrow.”  
  
“Until then, you may use the rest of today to study, relax, however you see fit,” Seteth said. “You all have certainly earned that much.”  
  
With that, Byleth turned to face each of us with a kind smile. “Enjoy the rest of your day, everyone. Oh, and before I forget, starting tomorrow, we will be assigning chores to two students once a week. Keep an eye out for that.”  
  
And just like that, they were off, leaving us to watch as Byleth, Rhea and Seteth headed off toward what I could assume was the Audience Chamber, that’s where I remember all of Rhea’s little “debriefings” taking place anyway. That left just us nine to do as we pleased, aside from burning down the school of course.  
  
That aside... chores, huh? I remember them giving a boost to certain stats in the game, like flying or riding. Wonder what I’d get saddled with.  
  


* * *

  
“Weeds… I fucking hate weeds…” I wheezed, feeling the hot sun beating down on my back as I crouched down to pick at the various green devils that had popped up in our absence. Needless to say, I really wish I was chosen for flying duty.  
  
“Hmm…” Caspar hummed, looking down at a weed. “Y’know, Alistair… I hear that sometimes you can find some healthy and edible plants in these things! Pretty handy stuff to know out in the field, right?”  
  
“....Caspar, please don’t eat the damned weeds.”  
  
“Oho, Alistair! Fancy seeing you here!” A familiar voice chimed in. Looking up, I found none other than ol’ Claude staring down at me with his signature smile. “Looks like you drew the short stick, huh?”  
  
I sighed as I ripped out yet another weed by its root. “If by short stick, you mean the ire of the Goddess herself, then yeah, I did. What about you, Claude? You wanna join in on the fun? Plenty of weeds to go around.”  
  
Claude shook his head. “Nah, I think I’ll pass. We just got back from our own mission not too long ago, so I think I’m gonna take the time to browse the library a bit before hitting the hay.”  
  
Right, Claude certainly loved reading up on Fodlan history and legends, anything to get that power to shatter the figurative and literal wall between Fodlan and Almyra. I had to admit, the library was pretty calming too, though I generally never lingered there if “Tomas” was present. Didn’t need any of the Molemen spying on me.  
  
“Oh yeah, what did you all get saddled with, Claude?” I asked. Considering I was busy prepping for my mission, I didn't really get much of a chance to speak with Claude. “All we got was bandit duty.”  
  
“Nothing too grand or operatic, that’s for sure,” Claude chuckled. “And at least you saw some action. We were stuck with an outright peaceful mission. Just some standard diplomacy with a merchant family. Nothing that the history books are gonna cover, that’s for sure.”  
  
It was a bit odd how Claude seemed to wanna talk to someone like me. As the “embodiment of distrust” Claude usually never did something unless it would help him in the long term for his grand ambition, so I dunno how I fit into that. Though, I had to admit, talking to Claude was certainly a bit refreshing compared to Hubert’s constant ridiculing of everyone or Edelgard’s more no nonsense style of leadership.  
  
Suddenly Claude’s expression became a bit more confused as he looked over my shoulder. “Uh, Alistair? I’m sure your task was to ‘pick the weeds’, right? Not ‘eat the weeds’.”  
  
Eat the weeds? What the hell was he talking abou-?  
  
“...Damn it, Caspar! I told you to NOT eat the damn weeds!”

* * *

I sighed as I collapsed onto my warm, soft bed, not even bothering to switch out of my uniform. I would've talked with Claude some more, but the army of the weeds were a vast, endless thing, and only now could I know some form of peace and sanity. If I never saw another weed again, it’d be too soon.  
  
“I can practically feel your aching bones from here, child,” Sothis giggled. “But do not act so dour, I can sense the smallest hints of a smile on your face.”

  
I chose to ignore Sothis’ comments and bury myself in my pillow case instead, trying to focus on passing out to avoid having to deal with this smug gremlin of a goddess. Of course, I couldn’t just fall asleep on a whim, and so eventually I sat up in my bed, turning to face the goddess as she floated around aimlessly. Something had been bugging me ever since we got back from our mission to Zanado, and what better time than to ask Sothis now?  
  
“Hey, Sothis?” I asked. “What exactly was Zanado like, before Nemesis came along?”  
  
Sothis paused as she reorientated herself, taking the time to think seriously on the subject before answering. “Considerably different from what Zanado is like today, I can assure you. Long ago, together with my children, we turned Zanado from a simple mountain range into a thriving city on its own, not unlike how I imagine the three new capitals of Fodlan must be today.”  
  
She slowly floated down towards my bed, taking a seat as she looked up to the ceiling, a sad but nostalgic smile on her face. “It was not just my children and I, however. Some humans chanced upon the city’s discovery, but we all managed to find a way to co-exist peacefully. You humans were truly odd, even back when I first arrived in your world. But we still lived happily regardless, culture, the arts and all such wellsprings of a society emerging from our city. Indeed, one could say that Zanado was one of Fodlan’s first true capitals.”  
  
  
Then she sighed, now looking considerably more sad. “Of course, not everything was so perfect…”  
  
I understood almost instantly. “Agartha…”  
  
“At first, our relations with Agartha were peaceful, we both lived in relative harmony,” Sothis explained, her voice a touch more shaky. “I had no ill will towards their want to advance their technologies, and in the early days of Agartha’s foundation, life remained peaceful. But as the years dragged, they began to become more prideful, delving into dangerous magicks and technology… eventually crafting weapons that could ravage the land itself. No matter what I did, I could not convince them to change their current course, and eventually, all hope of peace fell to the wayside…”  
  
I… don’t remember this bit of info. So, Zanado and Agartha originally coexisted, but then things fell into chaos when those stupid Javelins of Light came into effect? Then again, when you develop what could charitably be described as a medieval nuclear missile, tension would be rather high.  
  
“You cannot possibly begin to imagine it, Cole… the very ground that you walk, scorched beyond any hope of recovery or recognition. I only sought to ensure that fate would never befall Fodlan, and yet Agartha refused to listen, refused to heed my warnings…”  
  
I sat in a brief silence as images and old clips of nuclear weapons testing back home flashed in my mind, along with what would possibly happen to Fort Merceus or Arianrhod in the future.  
  
“Actually…” I mumbled. “I think I have a pretty decent idea…”  
  
Well, I hadn’t quite expected all of that lore dumping, but I think I had a better idea of how the Agarthans went to war with Sothis’ children now. But to think that Zanado and Agartha actually got along at some point… I remember that the Agarthans were mainly shown to be vengeful, but I guess the situation was a touch more sensitive than what the game portrayed.  
  
Showed how much I knew, I guess.

* * *

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t dare to dream of spying on any of my fellow Black Eagles. I consider all of them friends and even confidants to an extent. Even Ferdinand, as competitive as he could be, could be counted among those as well. Well… if he ever ceased his childish endeavors to constantly one-up me, that is.  
  
But my circumstances were far from normal. If my plans for Fodlan's future were to succeed, I needed any and all information I could possibly obtain. This is where I generally relied on Hubert, though the strangest tidbits of infromation did manage to slip their way into my ears on occasion. Take tonight for example.  
  
Professor Byleth giving us a day off following our first mission had proven fruitful indeed, allowing me and Hubert to reconvene to find replacements to those unsightly bandits, though now was not the time for plotting, but the time for homework and sleep. I must keep up appearances after all. The way to the noble dorms laid past the commoner dorms, and my route tonight had taken me past Alistair’s dorm room. Yet, what I heard through the door was… ultimately strange.  
  
_“Hey, Sothis? What exactly was Zanado like, before Nemesis came along?”_  
  
I paused dead in my tracks. Sothis? As in the Goddess that Rhea placed on such a lofty pedestal? As far as I was aware, speaking the Goddess’ true name was not something one did lightly. And yet here Alistair was, talking with someone whom he referred to as the goddess herself? I don’t believe he ever mentioned being particularly religious, but even he should know how bold it was to speak the goddess’ name…  
  
There was a very long pause, as if Alistair were listening to someone talk, and then finally I could hear him try to speak up.  
  
_“Actually… I think I have a pretty decent idea.”_ _  
_ _  
_ I slowly moved away from the doorframe, making sure to remain as silent as I possibly could. That certainly did not sound anything like a traditional prayer, far from it. From the way Alistair spoke, it was almost as if he were speaking to the Goddess as if she were right there. What exactly did this mean…?  
  
This was not an issue I could force Alistair to answer. Tact would be my greatest weapon here. Of course, it could all just be an odd little character quirk that Alistair didn’t want anyone to know about, even I would admit to occasionally talking to myself, assuming that I was sure that no one would overhear me, of course. But at the same time… something didn’t quite seem right here.  
  
Alistair Boramas... just who are you, really?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back with a chunky one, ladies and gentlemen! That's right, Cole can in fact use the Divine Pulse like Byleth, though because he lacks the mom-stone, he can't really abuse it like Byleth can at first. But now that their first real mission is out of the way, what's next for our hapless team of Black Eagles? How will Cole be able to handle the incident with Lonato, and how will Edelgard overhearing Cole's talk with Sothis effect things? Tune in next time, same bat-time, same bat-channel!
> 
> A link to our Discord! Come on by and say hi! https://discord.gg/9XG3U7a


	9. Betwixt Peace and Intrigue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Having the chapter notes at the start to say that I am SO sorry for how frigging long this took to write. I was not in a good place mentally, and needed a break. But WTGD is back, and while I can't say the pace of releases will be consistent, I will at least not try to make any more excuses. 
> 
> In short, we're in Valve time.
> 
> With that, please enjoy this breather chapter.

_I was dreaming again. The weightlessness and ethereal nature of my surroundings confirmed it as such. Though at the same time, it felt unique. But compared to my previous odd dream, consisting of nothing but misery and trauma, this dream could not be anymore different. The sky was a bright blue, the grass a vibrant shade of green, and the landscape itself looked like it was ripped straight from a painting. A valley of more green waited below me, complete with a flowing river._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Such a gentle, peaceful world…” I turned in the direction of the musing new voice. She walked about slowly, taking in the scenery as I had a moment ago. Her hair was wavy, green, her eyes matching that very same shade of green as her simple, pure white robe flowed in the wind. Her face was one of pure serenity as she held out her hand, letting a cool, crisp breeze pass through her fingers. “If perfection had an image, this is most likely what I would conjure from my mind.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _The scene changed._ _  
_ _  
_ _The world was on fire. The sky had turned from azure to ash in a manner of moments. Fields burned, crops failed, the people fled for their lives, and at the center of it all stood the woman again, this time looking mortified. Her lips quivered, her hands shook and tears slowly dropped from her eyes._ _  
_ _  
_ _“This… this is my fault.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _And the Earth cried._ _  
_

* * *

I was really, REALLY getting sick and tired of waking up in a cold sweat from my dreams. I nearly fell out of bed in a panicked heap, but managed to compose myself and take a deep, deep breath. I had to think about what I just saw, because just like the last time this happened, that was no mere dream. I could feel the breeze, literally feel the atmosphere, as well as smell the ashes when the scene changed to literal fire and brimstone.   
  
So that was the… second time this has happened. First time was with Rhea swearing vengeance on Nemesis… and now… hmm…   
  
I’d have to wager that was Sothis, right? The world in my dream felt literally untouched, so maybe it was when Sothis first came to Ear-er, the planet, whatever this rock’s real name was. I don’t think The Planet with Fodlan and Almyra On It really rolls off the tongue, y’know? But then, what was with the fire towards the end, and the whole “This is my fault” bit? What the hell was that all about?   
  
I was still looking at a half-finished puzzle, and someone had run away with half of the pieces.   
  
If I had to make any educated guess, I would assume the fire was partially caused by a Javelin of Light? But why would Sothis blame herself for something like that? Gah… questions on top of more questions with a side of mashed potatoes and questions. I wasn’t even remotely ready for this kind of crap this early in the morning. I had… oh shit, that’s right, I had class. I hastily checked outside and quickly realized that the sun had just now risen, meaning I had about twenty minutes to get ready for class.   
  
You know, when you get transferred to a fantastical world beyond your imagination, you usually think you wouldn’t have to worry about school anymore. Shows what I know, huh?

* * *

“-that, in turn, led Loog to a sound, decisive victory over the Imperial Army. The lesson one must take from this battle is to never funnel your forces into one single area, nor to neglect the effectiveness of terrain knowledge or scouts.”  
  
Most people would probably think history was a total borefest, but me? I always loved history classes, even back home. 

It especially helped the fact that I was foreign to this world, so knowing every little bit of history and backstory I could reasonably get my hands on as a student was always helpful. Edelgard and Hubert were, as always, attentive and receptive to Byleth’s teachings. ...Well, Edelgard was receptive. Hubert looked ready to commit bloody murder but then again, that was probably just his default expression. Ferdinand, Petra and even Dorothea surprisingly were all wide awake and ready to learn. Caspar looked bored out of his mind, Bernadetta looked as though she were being held hostage and Linhardt?”  
  
“Zzz…”  
  
Our white mage, ladies and gentleman! Just pray he doesn’t fall asleep at the operating table. Or in the middle of the battlefield. Or while climbing a mountain. That actually almost happened on our first mission now that I think about it.   
  
At that moment, the bell tolled to signal the end of the school, though no one was in a hurry to leave quite yet. We all learned what happened when Caspar tried to leave early.   
  
_“The bell doesn’t dismiss you…_ **_I do._ ** _”_ _  
_ _  
_ Byleth Eisner could be a scary woman when she had to be.

  
“Tomorrow, we’ll continue with a practical lesson on the tactics learned today with cooperation from the Knights of Seiros,” Byleth said as we took in her words. “We’ll also begin assessing your strengths for your certification exams, and if I can give a sound piece of advice; take your time. There’s no rush to begin studying for a possible area of study you might find yourself ill-prepared for. That is all, dismissed!”   
  
And with that, everyone began packing their stuff, no doubt talking about this or that, Bernadetta was already out of there. I could already hear the murmurs of certifications and the like, and I couldn’t help but find my thoughts drift towards that general direction as well. From what I could tell, the exams were obviously still a thing outside of the game, just less gamey, I guess. It was more of a mark of progress to see how you were faring in your chosen field of expertise. For example, a test for Hubert or Dorothea would judge how far they’ve come in learning how to sling a fireball at someone’s face.   
  
I had a plan already set in stone, of course; double down on sword lessons. It was clear to anyone that I was decidedly more comfortable with a sword than other weapons, and the idea of having to learn how to use a lance in the short year we had at Garreg Mach wasn’t exactly appealing to me. As for what kind of sword user I’d want to be… the kind of style that Catherine uses seemed pretty appealing to me, even if it would take a fair amount of effort. Power, agility, the swordmaster truly had it all. All I had to do was focus my weapon studies almost exclusively on swords.   
  
“Oh, and Alistair, if I could have a word with you?” I heard Byleth calling to me. Everyone else had already vacated the classroom, sans Linhardt who was still sleeping.   
  
Stepping over to her, Byleth finished sorting some papers quickly before standing up. Her posture and face seem to indicate something at least semi-serious.   
  
“I see you’ve been quite attentive for my lessons thus far, Mr. Boramas.”   
  
The way she used my last name and “mister” in the same sentence like that usually never boded well for me.   
  
“Well uh, I’ve been doing my best, Professor Byleth. After all, if I’m not here to learn, then what am I doing here at Garreg Mach, right?”   
  
A small chuckle escaped the fate defying professor as she shifted her weight slightly, leaning against her desk. “I suppose that’s true. And even more than that was how dutifully you’ve been paying attention to our fencing seminars. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that you wish to become specialized in swordplay, do you not?”   
  
It was like the woman could read my mind.   
  
“It is the weapon I feel most comfortable with, Professor,” I nodded. “It might lack the reach of a lance or the power of an axe, but it’s reliable and quick. It suits me.”   
  
“Reliable and quick, hmm?” Byleth hummed, nodding. “An interesting choice of words, but accurate for the path you might take.” She reached for a paper, taking a brief look at it before turning back to me.   
  
“I’ve been thinking, Alistair. During our first mission, you and the strike squad performed rather admirably. Hubert himself said the three of you were beset by an ambush, but you managed to keep your cool and handle the setback deftly.”   
  
...Did I just hear Byleth correctly? Hubert complimented me? The most murderous simp on the face of Fodlan actually gave a compliment to someone who was probably nothing more than a piss-ant?   
  
“That is why,” Byleth continued, folding her arms. “I think we should have you focus on your agility, that is if you still wish to continue using a sword.”   
  
Agility? So she wanted me to be faster then? That kinda went hand in hand with what Edelgard told me during our first spar, how a sword user’s greatest strength was their agility to outmaneuver an axe or lance. Didn’t matter if you were a thief or a swordmaster, agility absolutely mattered alongside with-   
  
...Huh. So is this what it felt like to be min-maxed?   
  
“I understand, Professor,” I nodded. “So, what would you have me do in order to rectify my speed issue?”   
  
“The first thing we can try is have you train more often with Petra. Like you, she shares a preference for the blade and could happily offer you various tips in that area. I’d need a better grasp of your abilities on the battlefield before I can make any final plans.”   
  
The way Byleth carried herself, you could have sworn she’d done this before. Her confidence, her planning, none of it could have come from a rookie, that’s for sure. I, for one, still couldn’t figure out what Byleth’s deal was. She was showing emotions, her lessons were clear and concise, the whole sha-bang. It was obvious to me that this wasn’t Byleth’s first rodeo, route speaking, but was it wise to bring it up now?   
  
...No, probably not.   
  
Byleth was already walking a fine line at the moment with Seteth and there was Edelgard along with the Molemen to deal with. If it slipped that Byleth knew what would happen, who knows what would change? Already there were elements outside of my control, such as Kostas’ early death, and who knows what else has changed with my inclusion into the trig equation that was Fodlan’s future?   
  
No, better to play it safe and work with what I could know for sure will happen.   
  
“You play an odd game, Cole. On the surface, you appear unimportant and yet here you stand, moving around pieces like a mastermind. An odd contrast.”   
  
Oh, now Sothis decides to speak up. Lazy, frizzy haired goddess.   
  
“I am not lazy, you blonde oaf! At any rate, were you not in the middle of a conversation with Byleth?”   
  
I blinked in realization, looking at a clearly waiting and mildly annoyed professor who was waiting on me to answer. Really had to work on that whenever Sothis decided to pop up.   
  
“S-Sorry, Professor, were you saying something?”   
  
Byleth let out a sigh. “I was asking if you could find Bernadetta for me. I forgot to hand her back a graded assignment but she left before I could do it.”   
  
“Sounds simple enough,” I nodded. “Consider it done.” 

* * *

I lied. It wasn’t simple at all.  
  
You’d think finding an introverted sniper who usually stayed in her room all day would be a piece of cake. But fate, it would seem, was not going to be kind to me. I started, of course, with Bernadetta’s room, giving the door a knock and got no answer. This was odd because Bernadetta would at least give a little “Eep!” or something along those lines, but nothing. Then I tried the dining hall, considering it was close to dinner time, but still nothing.   
  
“Hey uh, Raphael?” I motioned over to the lumbering giant of the Golden Deer. “Have you seen Bernadetta anywhere?”   
  
Raphael looked up from his mountain of meat dishes to register my existence before letting out a muffled sentence I couldn’t make heads or tails of.   
  
“Uh… what?”   
  
Raphael gulped his food down before letting out a big grin. “I said, ‘I haven’t seen her anywhere!’” Christ, with the amount of meat he was consuming, you’d think he would get constipation sooner or later. Then again, I dunno why I was even asking him to begin with. Odds are that he hadn’t even seen Bernadetta, being so consumed in devouring the dinner set before him. Though… I wouldn’t lie, that beef was looking mighty good right now. No, no! Focus, Cole!   
  
“Well, good evening to you, Alistair!” My ears detected the telltale dulcet tones of one Claude von Riegan, no doubting making his entrance to do a little feasting of his own. “Don’t think you’re gonna get much outta Raph here, he was dying to get out of Professor Manuela’s lecture today.”   
  
“Evening to you too, Claude,” I greeted. “Don’t suppose you’ve seen Bernadetta anywhere, have you?”   
  
“Bernadetta?” Claude put a finger to his chin. “You mean the small, mousey archer in your house, yeah? I thought she was a hermit.”   
  
I sighed and gave him a shrug. “Well, she wasn’t in her room, so I figured she’d actually come out for once. Even hermits need to eat after all. I need to give her something from Professor Byleth, but I guess she’s not here.”   
  
Claude took a moment before giving me his signature shit-eating grin. “Well, I heard through the grapevine that our missing Bernadetta’s been sneaking away to the library recently. Something about getting ‘material for writing her own books’ or something along those lines anyway.”   
  
Leave to Claude to be keeping tabs on everyone, big or small. I swear, the man probably knew about the mice that were hiding in the cracks in the walls. But the library, of course, why didn’t I think of that? I nearly forgot Bernadetta was an aspiring author, I think it was brought up in her and Seteth’s support chain. Of course… going to the library meant running into Tomas, or rather, the Moleman who was wearing Tomas as a meatsack costume, like that bug in Men in Black.   
  
Frankly, I wanted to keep my interactions with the Agarthans to a bare minimum if at all possible. I gained very little from blindly trying to stop whatever plans they had in store, which would no doubt tip Hubert and Edelgard off that something wasn’t right with me either. I did not need them taking any form of interest in my sorry ass. Of course, with Kronya appearing later this year, that was kind of unavoidable.   
  
“Got it,” I nodded. “Thanks, Claude. Try to make sure Raph takes smaller bites, yeah?”   
  
“Smaller bites, what do you- Yikes, Raphael! Smaller bites, smaller bites! At least drink something to wash all of that down!”   
  
I suppressed a small chuckle. The Golden Deer were the living definition of misfits. 

* * *

The library of Garreg Mach from the game utterly paled in comparison to the real thing. Instead of a single floor with less books than my local library back home, this felt like a library worthy of Garreg Mach. Books of various subjects were all neatly stacked away in their shelves, from tactics to history to fictional novels, all were present and accounted for. The library was divided into a second and a first floor, and according to one of the monks, it was to place most of the fictional material on the second floor and the non-fictional and study materials on the first floor. Students could be seen milling around or reading silently, the occasional scratching of a quill against parchment signaling that some were studying.   
  
“That smell…” Sothis mused. “What on earth is that unholy smell?”   
  
I didn’t say anything, for I had absolutely zero idea what she was talking about. I didn’t smell a darn thing. Unless she was talking about me, which is bullshit, I washed today-!   
  
“No, you lummox!” Sothis seemed a bit more snappy than usual. “I meant- Oh, is that not Bernadetta over yonder?”   
  
Instinctively, I turned to look up at the second floor and… yup, there she was, buried in books no doubt, but still there. Perfect. Now to just be careful not to spook her, else she’d be liable to fly off like a scared mouse. Locating the stairs for the library was simple, as was the climb. As I slowly approached Bernadetta, I could make out faint whispers of something…   
  
“...no, no! Stupid Bernie, that’s not going to work either! This next part has to coincide with Dante’s overwhelming anger, not his sadness! Oh why did I even try writing?!”   
  
Bernadetta’s writing woes were a bit hushed, given the nature of the library, but I got the basic gist of it. Okay… don’t botch this, Cole…!   
  
“Uh, hi there Bernadetta-”   
  
“EEK! W-Who’s that?! An assassin?! No; an assassin hiding in a book?!”   
  
A few annoyed “Shhs!” were enough to bring the Varley heir’s voice down a few pegs as I tried to very delicately salvage the situation.   
  
“I don’t think any kind of assassin worth his salt would try to hide in a book,” I chuckled. “It’s just me, Bernadetta.”   
  
Bernadetta turned on a dime and paled as soon as she saw me. “A-Alistair?! Oh no, I knew it! Now that I’m out of my room, you’re just capitalizing on the perfect opportunity to kill me, aren’t you?!”   
  
This poor girl’s nerves would be the absolute death of her, I swear. Then again, her father was riding the same level of shitty, along with Ferdinand’s father, so it was no surprise that Bernadetta was so emotionally traumatized by the mere idea of human contact.   
  
“No, no, Bernadetta. Far from it, I’m just here to deliver something, that’s all.” I held up the paper that Byleth gave me, waving it slightly. “Professor Byleth just asked me to give this to you, that’s all, I promise.”   
  
Bernadetta stopped quivering for a second to actually look at the paper in question. What was written on it were a series of different tactical positions that an archer ought to take on the battlefield to better support their allies. Bernadetta, as our dedicated archer, scored quite well, even earning a note of praise from Byleth herself.   
  
“T-This…” Bernadetta quickly snatched the paper out of my hand, looking at the paper with bated breath, only to let out a small sigh of relief as she realized that she actually did well. “Oh… thank the Goddess…” I could feel Sothis smugly glow a little bit at that. “I was so worried about this assignment…”   
  
I raised an eyebrow at that. “Bernadetta, I don’t see why you’d need to worry about that. I think you’ve more than proven yourself at archery at this point, haven’t you?”   
  
“I-It’s not like that at all!” She protested. “You have no idea how nervous or how jittery I get when using a bow! My hands get shaky and all I can do is pray that my shots actually land!”   
  
So, first battle nerves then? I found myself thinking back to my first real battle in Remire, how tightly I clung to my sword when I fought those bandits, how my knees nearly buckled from Kostas’ attack, my heart pounding through my uniform as I could literally feel my victims die. How empty I felt afterward.   
  
“Actually, I think I know that feeling pretty well.”   
  
Bernadetta just whimpered, not bothering to address my comment in the slightest. I wasn’t exactly polite when I said it either, which didn’t exactly help the poor girl’s nerves. “I-I should be going at any rate, I need to eat something, or take something back to my room. See you, Alistair.”   
  
And like that, Bernadetta was off. You know, most people in fandom probably thought talking to Bernadetta was easy as whispering sweet nothings and encouragement into her ear and then suddenly she’d be a social butterfly. The reality of the situation was about as far from that perception as China was from France. And I felt like I may have made things a tiny bit worse there. Good going, Cole, way to fuck over things with your mere presence.   
  
“Come now, Cole,” Sothis interjected. “While you might not have been the most gentlemanly with that last comment, but you can hardly take all of the blame! Bernadetta simply requires a touch more tact that’s all-”   
  
“Oh? May I help you, young man?”   
  
A withered, croaky voice caused me to turn around, and I nearly jumped out of my own pants when I saw the owner of said voice. Oh fantastic, the one person I literally did NOT want to interact with at Garreg Mach. Tomas the librarian, or rather Solon, prime dark mage for the Agarthan remnants. With his short hair, the kindly face of a grandfather and the classical white bishop robes, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this man was nothing short of a saint. Of course, he and his ilk were the furthest thing from saints. There’s not enough time in the day to list off their atrocities, but suffice to say, they were contemptible.   
  
“Oh uh, no, not really sir,” I said. “I was just here, looking for a friend.”   
  
Tomas paused, gauging me slightly, like I was a total stranger to him. It felt like he was quickly dissecting me with his gaze before returning to his kindly facade. “Ah yes, I believe you were just talking to Miss Bernadetta? I suppose you two share the same class?”   
  
Asking questions you already know the answers to? What’s your game, Solon?   
  
“Be very wary, Cole. I can quite literally smell his true colors, and they are not at all pleasant.” W-Wait, so that’s what Sothis meant by smell? She could literally smell out Agarthans? That was… uh, interesting, but not the most pressing issue on my mind right now.   
  
“I mean, yes we are. We’re both in the Black Eagle house.”   
  
“Ah, I see,” Tomas nodded, his smile never once wavering. “Yes, we’ve all heard quite a few things about the Black Eagles in particular this year, but that is not the role I play. No, I much prefer the company of these texts.”   
  
Playing up the librarian bit a tad too strongly there, eh Tomas? Making it sound like books were your only friend. Though… one look at the dude’s actual face and you’d probably understand how such a thing could be.   
  
“Though, I must ask that in future you ensure your friend’s voice is within more appropriate levels. This is a place of learning, after all. Not to mention that your fellow students would appreciate the courtesy as well.”   
  
Okay, but why grill me? I wasn’t the mousey girl screaming about how someone was gonna pop out of a book to kill her. But I dismissed saying that outloud. I wasn’t about to get into any shouting matches with Agarthans tonight, not to mention I still had to get some dinner in my system.   
  
“I’ll be sure to let her know, my apologies mister…” I drew the last bit out, making sure I got his name beforehand.   
  
“Tomas, and thank you, young lad,” he nodded. “Now go on, before you become as dusty as these tomes.”   
  
Gladly. I took my leave of the library, walking just a bit faster than I normally would otherwise. Even if he was disguised, my first encounter with an Agarthan left me feeling dirty and nauseous. And the way he was studying me… yikes almighty. It was like he was already dissecting my corpse to see what exactly made me ticked.   
  
I know I won’t be mourning his passing, that’s for sure. 

* * *

Thales would consider himself many things, patient was not one of them. It was very rare that contact with his agents was necessary, in particular with Solon. There was a certain balance that had to be maintained to ensure their plan’s fruition, and to deviate from it even slightly was not something that could be advised, least everything slowly became undone. However, Solon was never a man who would do anything unless necessary, so Thales could afford this one oddity. Though it had better have been worth the trip.   
  
Thales urged his horse to cease as soon as he had reached the meeting area, still within his “Arundel” form. It was much more convenient to move about in this disguise, particularly in the Empire. After a minute of waiting, faint rustles could be heard from the treelines, and there Solon emerged, noticing Thales immediately.   
  
“My apologies, Lord Thales,” Solon bowed, still in his human disguise. “I trust I have not kept you waiting long?”   
  
Thales shook his head. “You have not. Speak, I trust you have news worthy of a personal report?”   
  
Solon nodded as he hummed, and removed his human disguise in a flash. Even by Agarthan standards, Solon was certainly far from pleasant to look at. Countless medical procedures meant to imbue his body with various magics and technology had warped his form considerably, but it was hard to deny that the man achieved great results in the name of their cause.   
  
“The Eye had indeed confirmed the presence of Nabatean blood within Garreg Mach, as expected. We can confirm Seiros’ presence as the current archbishop as expected.”   
  
Ah yes, the “Eye” as Solon loved to refer to it. In an attempt to ensure that they could confirm the identity of Nabatean survivors, Solon had created an artificial eyeball that could, essentially, scan those with Nabatean blood within their bodies. It would prove beneficial for the next stages of their plan. But Solon’s expression indicated an oddity, something that he couldn’t explain. That got Thales’ attention.   
  
“However…” the withering mage continued. “The Eye has also detected something… odd. Something that should not be possible.”   
  
“Speak plainly, sorcerer,” Thales commanded decisively. “What is the matter?”   
  
Solon, for just a second, looked completely unsure of himself before composing himself. A rarity if Thales had ever seen it.   
  
“The Eye has detected trace amounts of Nabatean blood within one of the students as well, a member of the Black Eagle house. And not within the girl known as ‘Flayn.’ This new subject is referred to as ‘Alistair Boramas.’ The boy is a commoner, his father having served Ioinus in the past, but nothing special about the whelp otherwise. And while the blood was faint, it was still there at the same time.”   
  
Thales narrowed his eyes, pondering on the information given. Yet more Nabatean blood flowed through Garreg Mach’s halls? And how would this have gotten past Seiros’ attention? Was Solon actively playing with him? No, Solon was never one to trifle matters. There was clearly something amiss at Garreg Mach, something that hadn’t been anticipated. However, there was an upside to all of this.   
  
“It matters not,” Thales said. “You mentioned the boy was of the Black Eagles, did you not? We will simply inform my darling “niece” of this predicament, and keep a closer eye on the boy. Whatever the case might be, we cannot act now, not this quickly.”   
  
“Of course, sire,” Solon bowed. “And I shall endeavor to keep you updated on the situation as well.”   
  
“Well said. But for the record, Solon...” Was all Solon heard before doubling over in pain, Thales having struck him clear in the gut with a magically imbued punch. **“Do not presume that your reports are above our plan’s importance.** I care little for what you might offer, Solon, such thinking would still prove quite… unfortunate, you understand?”   
  
“Yes… sire, I understand…”   
  
  
  



	10. Mutiny In The Mist

The town below Garreg Mach could be summed up with one word; lively. For my Sunday off today, considering I basically blitzed through this week’s homework, I had opted to explore more of the area surrounding the monastery. The closest you ever got in the game was that small marketplace, so to actually see a living breathing medieval village like this… It was just fascinating. Okay, Remire didn’t exactly count, considering it was packed to the brim with bandits and everything was on fire.    
  
But I digressed.    
  
People around me moved through streets, all focused on their daily activities, be it work, training or something in between. People traded with others in small stalls or larger shops, such as bakeries. In fact, the amount of shops around me were beginning to overwhelm my senses, the people around me moving through the crowds or stopping to admire my Garreg Mach uniform. Turning to my right, I found what appeared to be a bookstore, some people coming and going without a care. That was actually really good in my case, I was going to need something to occupy my time that wasn’t training, studying or maiming my fellow man. Entertainment was sort of scarce in Fodlan and it wasn’t like I could just grab a video game off my shelf, so what better way to relax than with a good book? Man, I can’t even remember the last time I ever actually read for fun.    
  
The bookstore was, in contrast with Garreg Mach’s spacious library, a touch more compact. Not exactly claustrophobic for me, but definitely a touch squished together. Novels and books were all neatly shelved in rows, waiting for someone to pick them out to peruse their contents. And I had literally no idea where to start. This was my issue with shopping, I was always an indecisive prick. I’d mentally weigh what I know about the products, the amount of money I had on my person and try to figure out how to get the most out of my purchase. Even when it came to food I’d do this, which is why I really didn’t go to restaurants terribly often. And this was probably gonna be even worse, considering I wasn’t sure what passed for a “good book” by Fodlan’s standards.   
  
“Argh! We shall be here all day if you continue to twiddle your thumbs, Cole! Just pick something out and be done with this already!” Sothis, in spite of her adult appearance, had opted to act like that one kid who got tired of shopping with their parents after five minutes and was demanding they go home right now. Well, she’d just have to be patient, I was still looking.   
  
“Are you treating me like a child?! The nerve of you-!”   
  
“Um, excuse me?”    
  
Mercifully, the goddess in my head had opted to shut her cakehole long enough for me to turn around and see who was talking to me. Light teal hair, pale skin and the unmistakable sign of freckles around his nose outed him almost immediately as Ashe Duran, the archer for the Blue Lions, also perhaps one of the least fucked-up individuals in Fodlan in terms of mental stability. He was good natured, helpful, all of that jazz. Ashe really was like a squire from a storybook if I had to give a one sentence description of him, almost to a fault.    
  
“You’re Alistair Boramas, aren’t you? I couldn’t help but notice you look a touch lost. I guess you’re looking for a book as well?” Ashe smiled, always eager to help out someone in need. “I could help you find whatever book you might be interested in!”    
  
That downright infectious cheer was causing me to smile in return. “And you’re Ashe of the Blue Lions, eh? Don’t mind me, I’m just browsing. I take a while to pick something out, that’s all.” Of course I say that and the very next second, something catches my eye. I slid the book out of the shelf to find myself a copy of…   
  
“The Kaleidoscope Soul…?”   
  
“Ohh, that’s a fairly unusual find! I didn’t think there were any copies left!” Ashe scanned the cover and foreword, looking a touch excited. “I think you might enjoy that!”    
  
“You know about this one, Ashe?”    
  
Ashe shook his head. “Not personally, but I do know the basic premise. It’s about an Adrestian spy, during the reign of King Loog. Apparently, it’s based on a true story, though I don’t think anyone can confirm that definitely. An Adrestian agent, by order of the Emperor, is ordered to gain valuable information for the Empire regarding the newly established Kingdom. To this end, he abandoned his previous identity entirely, embracing several new identities whenever it best suited him. In the end, he forgets his true name, what he really looked like, and all that remains is a series of masks that he cycles through.”   
  
That… eerily reminds me of the Phantom from Ace Attorney, actually. And just a little bit of myself. Someone who puts on different masks to best suit the situation, eh? Talk about topical.   
  
“I think I got the idea,” I nodded. “But what about the title itself? Kaleidoscope?”   
  
“Oh… that,” Ashe hummed. “Well, I do know that the kaleidoscope is an Alliance invention, apparently having been invented in the Goneril region. Essentially, you twist the device and the image you see through the lens becomes more diluted, twisted, ultimately unrecognizable. With that in mind, perhaps it relates to the protagonist’s sense of identity becoming more and more distorted to him over time?”    
  
If that wasn’t an allegory for post-war trauma, I dunno what it was. I turned my eyes back to the book, now infinitely more curious.    
  
“I think… I’ll buy it.”   
  
Ashe blinked. “Well, that was fast. But I do hope you enjoy it regardless! I still need to browse myself, so please excuse me!” Polite to a literal fault, Ashe was far too innocent for Fodlan. And considering what would happen soon with his adoptive father, I almost immediately thought that Ashe deserved far better, both him and his siblings. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand Lonato’s anger towards the Church and Rhea, but that didn’t change the fact that he dragged his peasants into the fray as militia, all in the name of a single-minded pursuit of revenge. That just wasn’t forgivable by any stretch of the imagination.   
  
Actually… When was that whole Lonato thing even supposed to happen?   


* * *

Maybe I should’ve kept my fucking mouth shut.   
  
“Students, we have a new mission for this month.”   
  
Seteth cleared his throat before addressing us all. “We have received word that Lord Lonato Gaspard of the Kingdom has begun to rally his troops against the Holy Church of Seiros. A minor lord, he has begun to show further and further hostility towards the Church for quite some time now.”   
  
The tension was certainly palpable. Bandits were one thing, but here we were, being tasked with putting down a proper rebellion. Dorothea and Caspar looked particularly perturbed by the notion, Ferdinand kept his cool, but I knew that he wasn’t exactly thrilled by the prospect. In fact, no one looked particularly thrilled by the mission’s description in the slightest. And me? I felt a knot in my stomach begin to form. If I had issues with killing bandits, how the hell was I going to deal with cutting down hapless villagers who were only trying to defend their home?    
  
“Squashing a rebellion?” Sothis hummed. “I cannot say that I find the prospect of such a task very appealing either. Just what in Fodlan’s name has Seiros done to warrant such a violent reprisal, particularly to this “Lord Lonato''?   
  
Oh… right. I don’t think I explained this arc to Sothis either. Well, much as I wanted to give her the gist of the situation, I had to stay focused and at least pretend that I was listening attentively.  
  
“A detachment of the Knights of Seiros has already been sent to deal with the rebellion,” Byleth continued. “While it’s entirely possible the issue has been resolved already, the Black Eagles are to serve as the knights’ rear guard and help deal with the aftermath. Do any of you have any questions for Seteth and I?”  
  
Edelgard and Hubert looked relatively nonplussed about the situation. Of course, squashing a rebellion just felt like something that would be on a bucket list for Hubert’s morning, something to be done without a second thought. Edelgard was as cool as cucumber, her poker face betraying no emotions she might feel about the situation. But despite the rest of the class’s apprehension, no one spoke up and certainly not me.    
  
Seteth nodded. “Very well then. You all shall move out in two days ti-”   
  
“H-Hold on one moment, Professor!”    
  
Seteth looked across the class, trying to find whoever had opted to interrupt him, but was surprised to find none other than Ashe sprinting into the classroom, looking ragged and out of breath. It seemed as if he had dashed all the way here, and soon after, Dimitri soon appeared right behind him, clearly trying to get a handle on the situation.    
  
“Ashe, please calm down-!” Dimitri said, but Ashe acted as if his house head and liege lord wasn’t even there, walking right up to Byleth with a pleading look on his face.    
  
“Professor, please! Allow me to accompany your class toward Gaspard territory!”    
  
The Eagles quickly burst into discussion, wondering why exactly Ashe and Dimitri had opted to interrupt the house meeting in such an explosive manner. Even Linhardt seemed attentive for once. Seteth’s jaw tightened just a bit as he did his best to try and keep order in the classroom, a futile effort if there ever was one.   
  
“Mr. Duran… while your feelings are quite understandable, I must ask that you please control yourself. This disruption does not help anyone.”   
  
“With all due respect, Sir Seteth,” Ashe said, cutting Seteth off a bit more harshly than I’ve ever heard from him. “My family is in Gaspard territory, including Lord Lonato! My younger brother and sister are no more than nine years old! At the very least, I must ensure their safety! If anything were to happen… I…” His voice began to break, looking as if he were on the verge of tears.   
  
“Ashe… please, you must be reasonable,” Dimitri pleaded, trying to comfort Ashe with a hand on his shoulder. “I understand that this matter is extremely personal to you, but that must be exactly why the Black Eagles were chosen for this mission over us. As unfair as it may be, they can walk into this situation with a cooler head than you because of that lack of intimacy with Lonato.”    
  
Byleth’s pale blue eyes locked with Ashe’s pleading green ones, as if mentally weighing the options in her head. If Byleth really was from another route like I suspected, it’s clear that she didn’t want Ashe to go through the mental trauma of watching his adoptive father die personally. But at the same time, perhaps she didn’t want to leave him without any form of closure in regards to Lonato’s motives? Outside of the Blue Lions route, Ashe never does get to confront Lonato directly, a bit unfair for the poor lad. Of course, this was all just conjecture, I couldn’t exactly just pry open Byleth’s big dumb head and take a look at what’s cracking inside there.   
  
Letting out a small sigh, Byleth turned to face Seteth. “Sir Seteth… with your permission, I would like to allow Mr. Duran to accompany us toward Gaspard territory.”   
  
Ashe’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting his pleading to actually work. Seteth, on the other hand, simply narrowed his eyes.    
  
“Professor, you cannot simply just steal another student from a different house on a whim like this-”   
  
“I am not ‘stealing’ Mr. Duran,” Byleth coldly cut him off, glaring at the man with a noticeable amount of malice. “I am simply allowing him to accompany us. That, and I don’t think it’s quite fair to order the execution of a young boy’s adoptive father and leave him in the dark on the matter. I will be allowing Ashe Duran to accompany the Black Eagles on this week’s mission and that is final.”   
  
The room’s atmosphere had dipped into outright arctic temperatures. I didn’t think it was possible for one woman to become utterly terrifying that such a thing could happen, but I was learning something new in Fodlan everyday. Byleth’s calm, collected demeanor was gone entirely and instead there stood the Ashen Demon. Her expression was cold, utterly devoid of emotion or patience and her gaze was focused solely on Seteth’s normally steely face. Most of the other students looked utterly terrified by how intimidating Byleth really looked, Bernadetta having actually passed out standing up. Hubert and Edelgard, of course, didn’t really flinch, but I could notice Edelgard fidget just a touch uncomfortably. Seems even the Flame Emperor could be intimidated, if only just a little bit.    
  
Seteth seemed to consider arguing back, but whether he was actually intimidated by Byleth’s murderous glare or simply didn’t want to waste any energy in arguing the matter, he allowed the argument to die in his throat. He pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a sigh.   
  
“Very… well, Professor Eisner. However, we will still need to discuss the assignment with Professor Hanneman, as he is Mr. Duran’s homeroom professor. Is that acceptable?”   
  
Byleth gave a curt nod before returning her gaze to us. Some of the class actually flinched until they realized her gaze had softened before us. “I apologize for cutting this meeting short everyone, but I’ll need to finalize everything for our march. For now, keep in mind that we move out in two days time, so ensure everything you need is ready.”   
  
“Of course, Professor,” Edelgard nodded. With that, Byleth turned to exit the room, flanking Seteth along with Ashe. There was still a hint of tension circulating the classroom following Byleth’s tranquil outburst, but thankfully Edelgard managed to compose herself and the class rather quickly.    
  
Most of the Black Eagles dispersed into different directions, no doubt to make sure they had everything for the upcoming mission. Me? I just collapsed onto a nearby bench, feeling as if I had just run a mental marathon. I was just trying to come to terms with that was about to happen, what Rhea was essentially forcing us to do. Remember when I mentioned war crimes? Well this was only the very tip of the iceberg.    
_ ‘This mission should prove useful in demonstrating to the students how foolish it would be to ever turn their blades on the Church.’ _ _  
_ _  
_ Fucking Rhea… Granted, there was a lot of moral grey here, considering it was Lonato drawing first blood and declaring war on Rhea first, but the fact that we were basically being sent to fight villagers just defending their land and lord? If I had issues with killing fucking  _ bandits _ , how exactly was I gonna get through the rest of the game’s events? Hell, how the hell was I gonna manage the timeskip? Killing peasants was the least of my worries when it came to this school year.   
  
“Ah, Alistair! Just the man I was looking for!”   
  
I was thrown out of my personal bubble of fear to look up at none other than Dorothea, a brimming smile that just screamed “I need a favor”. I was kinda used to it, my brother did the exact same thing back home after all. The only difference was that she wasn’t about to walk away with my phone charger and never look back. At least, I don’t think that was the case anyway.   
  
“Well a good afternoon to you, Dorothea,” I greeted, giving the former songstress a smile despite the worries that still plagued. “Don’t think we’ve had much time to chat ever since the mock battle, have we?”   
  
“I suppose we haven’t, yes,” Dorothea giggled. “I apologize, I’ve been just a little busy as of late, you know how it is. I need to make sure I balance my studies and free time appropriately after all.”   
  
Of course, Dorothea’s free time generally consisted of dates with various men of noble persuasion, as I’ve seen many times already. She was certainly dutiful, I had to give her that. I didn’t exactly blame her, growing up on the streets after her father threw her out for not having a Crest, but I couldn’t help but see just a hint of Sylvain in her. Just without the psychological trauma of being abused and nearly killed by an elder brother.   
  
“No worries,” I said. “We’ve all been fairly busy bees as of late. Or… birds, I guess, considering the whole eagle motif.”    
  
Dorothea let out a chuckle at my bad joke. “Not an inaccurate statement. But that aside Alistair, I need to ask a quick favor of you.”   
  
A “favor”, huh? The last time I heard Dorothea ask for a favor, she made Caspar move all the furniture in her room to dust the areas she couldn’t reach. Not exactly sure what she had in store for me.   
  
“A favor?” I parroted back at her.   
  
“Just a teensy, tiny favor, that’s all!”   


* * *

“...Aha, there it is! I just knew I misplaced my vulnerary set somewhere!”   
  
Well, I wasn’t exactly wrong, but I wasn’t exactly right either. Turns out Dorothea had misplaced her vulnerary set in her room, the blasted bottles having somehow gotten behind her bookshelf. How in the heck had they not shattered yet? Hell if I knew, maybe the Goddess in my head was just feeling nice today.    
  
Dorothea’s room in general wasn’t something I could call “lived in”, but it certainly had most of her general flair. A lot of light reds, a mirror for checking her appearance of course, drawers no doubt filled with replacement uniforms. A couple of perfumes stood on top of the dresser, one of which, according to Dorothea herself, was from the Kingdom. I also noticed a sheet of lyrics, no doubt from her time in Manuela’s opera, though I didn’t inquire about that. I knew the gist, and I’m fairly certain most the Eagles knew it as well.    
  
Dorothea placed all three bottles of healing juice back into her bag with a satisfied sigh, turning to face me. “Thank you again for the help, Ali, I really mean that.”   
  
I just smiled and shook her off with a wave. “No worries, Dorothea. Though, to be fair, vulneraries are pretty cheap, aren’t they? Couldn’t you just buy a couple at the marketplace?”    
  
“Well, I could, you’re right,” Dorothea nodded. “But if I just left my stuff lying around just because I couldn’t find it, what would the next person who gets this room think if they found it just lying about?”   
  
“...probably something like, 'Oh sweet, free vulneraries!’ or something to that effect?”'   
  
Dorothea let out a prolonged sigh, shaking her head. “Okay, Alistair, let’s say, for argument’s sake that I’m a graduate of the Officer’s Academy, and you were all set to inherit my room for your time in the Academy. Wouldn’t you feel just a hint irritated if your new room looked like a pig’s sty?”   
  
“Well, I mean… I would, yes, but you do know I was just joking, right Dorothea?” I asked. “It was just an attempt at being cheeky, nothing more.”   
  
“Cheeky, really?” Dorothea’s mouth curled into a smile, and not a benevolent one. “Well then, if you have the energy to be ‘cheeky’, Ali, then perhaps you have the energy to straighten out your own room too? In fact, perhaps we should do just that!”   
  
Her tone was clearly joking, but I threw up my hands in objection regardless. “As fun as it sounds cleaning up the Monastery one room at a time, I don’t think that’s gonna help us much this month. Not with the…” My voice trailed off, stomach turning again at the fact of what we were mere days away from doing. I know what   
  
That was cue for Dorothea’s mischievous grin to vanish and be replaced by a look of concern. “Ali… Are you alright?”   
  
_ Just super, neighborino, just have to prepare to shave more parts of my soul, which by the end of this adventure will no doubt be non-existent. So really, I’m just peachy! _ _  
_ _  
_ “I’m doing fine, Dorothea, don’t worry about me.”   
  
Dorothea purses her lips, not for one second buying my shitty bluff. “Ali, I’m more than familiar with acting and bluffing. If that was your best attempt at lying, I’d suggest you refine your technique a bit more.”   
  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dorothea, I’m feeling perfectly-”   
  
“It’s about the mission, isn’t it?”   
  
My breath nearly gets stuck in my throat as I fight to compose myself. Jesus, I really was too easy to read, wasn’t I? I took a moment to compose myself before speaking again. “What gave it away?”   
  
“Well,” Dorothea began. “Your whole demeanor changed on a dime when you mentioned ‘this month’, you looked even paler than the others during this morning’s house meeting, and of course you just told me.”   
  
I blinked once before nervously rubbing the back of my neck. “Jeez, nothing gets by you, eh Dorothea?”   
  
“I have nearly ten years of experience on the stage, Ali,” Dorothea smiled. “I’m quite good at sorting out acting from reality. And I can say with almost complete certainty that you would make a terrible actor.”   
  
I allowed myself to chuckle just a bit at Dorothea’s analysis. “Can’t exactly argue with that assessment, I guess.” A bit levity passed through my chest, easing the knot that had been forming in the pit of my stomach. “The idea of having to put down a peasant rebellion just… I don’t know, it just feels wrong to me. It feels sickening.”    
  
“And you’re not in the wrong to feel those feelings,” Dorothea nodded. “Truth be told, I’m not particularly thrilled with the idea myself, but it’s not as if we can simply refuse the mission.”   
  
Well… of course we couldn’t, not like we can just walk up to Rhea and go, “Um, Mrs. Archbishop, we really don’t want to go around committing war crimes against people you don’t happen to like, can we just do macaroni art instead?” For reasons unknown even to myself, I imagined Bernadetta being really good at making macaroni pictures. That said, Dorothea’s comment on me being a terrible actor was a touch funny to me. After all, aren’t I doing a great job at wearing someone else’s skin?   
  
“But…” A genuine smile crosses Dorothea’s features this time. “What we can do is stick together, right Ali? Just remember; you’re not alone. We’re all in this together.”   
  
A brief image flashed in my head, showing the desolation of Fodlan all at the hands of our wonderful house leader and suddenly I began to envy Dorothea’s lack of foresight and future knowledge. But I knew she was coming from a place of good intentions. Dorothea certainly had a bit of cheek, but she was, in several ways, the heart of the Black Eagles. I guess you could argue Caspar is that to an extent. But while he has heart and courage, he ultimately lacks Dorothea’s tact or patience. Dorothea wasn’t without flaws, but she was arguably the most kind hearted person in the Black Eagles.   
  
“Thanks Dorothea,” I smiled. “Sorry about all that, it’s just been weighing on my mind all day is all.”   
  
“There’s no need to apologize, Ali,” Dorothea said. “And thank you for taking the time to help me with my room, I mean that sincerely. If you want, perhaps I can reward you with some tea whenever the opportunity presents itself?”   
  
I almost froze in response to Dorothea’s request before promptly relaxing. It could have easily been misconstrued as Dorothea asking me out on a date, but the likelihood of that was next to none. After all, Dorothea was after rich men, and as far as I was aware, my family was none of that. Wait… did I just say “I”? I thought I meant “Alistair”. Jeez, was I really that good at wearing my mask?   
  
“I’d be happy to accept your offer, Dorothea. Just uh… after the mission of course.”   
  
Dorothea seemed to brighten a bit at my response. “Perfect!” She brought her gaze over toward some haphazardly placed outfits and an iron sword, flinching just a bit. “Now then… I suppose I better start packing as well. Don’t want to leave anything important behind. But how bad could this mission possibly be if we have the Knights supporting us anyhow?”   
  
Oh Dorothea, you ignorant child, if only you knew how bad things were.   


* * *

Normally I’d make some kind of witty comment on how “The sky looked as if it were ready to cry” or something poetic like that, but even if I wanted to, I probably couldn’t. Just like in the game, an irregular and heavy fog had set in quite early and seemed determined to hold on well onto the early afternoon. People were hurriedly setting up for potential battle all around us, setting up watches and gathering all available weapons, all while I tried to peer past this fog. A fruitless effort. The general layout of the battlefield, as much as I could see anyway, was roughly the same as the game, mostly flat land with trees for cover. Good cover for archers, assuming they could even see us in this thick mist.   
  
“Jeez…” I groaned. “I can barely see anything in front of us. If we get hit with an ambush now, it’s gonna be nasty.”   
  
Hubert, however, shook his head. “I’d have to disagree. No matter what the weather and no matter how powerful our enemies are, there is no need to panic. Not when we stand alongside Catherine, wielder of the legendary Thunderbrand.”   
  
Ah yes, Thunder Catherine, I had nearly forgotten about her inclusion in this chapter. She had been assigned to our mission to act as a form of security, given that this mission was a touch more complicated than just dealing with bandits and the like. My first impression of seeing Catherine in the flesh? Just as knight-like as she was in the game, but a bit more approachable than I expected. Despite her reputation, she had no issues approaching us students casually, taking note of me and Petra in particular, no doubt due to our interest in sword-play. On the surface, Catherine was definitely someone to look up to, at least assuming your name wasn’t Sothis.   
  
The instant Catherine made her appearance before our departure, Sothis could already sense the faint Nabatean energy emitting from the Thunderbrand at her side. This didn’t exactly come off as a surprise, considering that Thunderbrand literally used to be one of her children, but being this close to a Heroes’ Relic proper certainly had quite the emotional impact on Sothis.   
  
“The way she wields the remains of a child of mine… how disgraceful. Should she find herself a spot of trouble, I would greatly appreciate it if you did not use the Hands of Time to save her, Cole.”   
  
Yeah, Sothis had gone way past the realm of passive aggressive when it came to the subject of Heroes’ Relics. But I couldn’t blame her, especially when, again, the Relics were made with the bones of her fucking children. The Agarthans were messed up.   
  
“It’s certainly an honor to have you with us, Thunder Catherine,” Edelgard said. “It comes as a quite the morale boost to the rest of the class to have the honor of fighting alongside such a distinguished member of the Knights of Serios.”    
  
Catherine took the compliments in stride, giving a laidback smile to us in return. “I certainly appreciate the flattery, but I doubt we’ll be seeing much in the way of action. Our job is to help deal with the aftermath, not to fight.”    
  
Hindsight really was a bitch and a half.    
  
Of course, there was one person among our party whose heart hadn’t been quite set at ease by Catherine’s mere presence. Ashe seemed despondent, even after a small breakfast. He wouldn’t talk to anyone, even when being addressed and he refused to look anyone in the eye. The pain and confusion was as clear on his face as the sky was blue.  
  
“I just cannot understand it…” Ashe said, his voice slightly trembling. “Why would Lonato opt to incite such a reckless rebellion?”   
  
Catherine turned her gaze to Ashe, guilt flashing for a brief second across her tan features. “You… should probably know more about that than any of us, Ashe.” An ironic statement from the woman who knew exactly why Lonato was rebelling in the way that he was.   
  
“Well I don’t!” Ashe bit back angrily, fighting back his tears with a clenched jaw. “Lonato never once mentioned any of this to me, not before I left for the Academy, and not in any of the letters he sent me!”   
  
Despite Ashe not being in her house, Edelgard moved toward Ashe with a look of genuine pity. “Ashe, I will admit, I am not fully aware of the familial situation between yourself and Lord Lonato, but it’s entirely likely that he did not want to involve you in his personal vendetta.”    
  
Ashe choked back on his tears as he looked toward the Hresvelg heir, nodding. “Well… I am Lonato’s adopted son,” he began to explain. “He took me in, along with my two other siblings after my mother and father passed away. He was so kind… I…” Ashe stopped for a moment before his eyes lit up in realization. “I suppose it has something to do with Christophe…”    
  
“Christophe?” Byleth blinked, an obvious ploy at playing dumb. “Is that another member of Lonato’s family?”   
  
“I suppose you could say that,” Catherine nodded. “How familiar are you with the Tragedy of Duscur, Professor Eisner?”   
  
“You’re talking about the assassination of the King of Fargehus, right Ms. Catherine?” I asked, causing all eyes to turn to me.    
  
“That’s… actually right, Alistair,” Catherine nodded, looking quite caught off-guard. “I’m surprised, I wouldn’t have assumed that a commoner from the Empire would have such a keen interest in recent history.”   
  
“Indeed,” Byleth hummed. “Especially when we haven’t even covered that portion of history yet.”    
  
It was roughly around this time that I realized just how badly I fucked up. I mentally cursed myself as all eyes, minus Ashe’s, were now squarely on me, Hubert in particular looking quite perplexed. Damn it, I really gotta watch out for those Ferudian slips.. I am- or rather, Alistair is supposed to be an Empire Commoner. There’s no way he’d be that update on recent medieval politics. Christ on a bike, no doubt Byleth would approach me later on that, if Hubert or Edelgard didn’t beat her to the punch. That said, one little history slip up wasn’t the end of me, but it would be particularly bad if I mentioned anything about the Agarthans around say Hubert and Edelgard, or even Rhea or Seteth. That’s like Isekai Rule #1: Be careful with your knowledge of the world and its characters..    
  
Okay, there probably wasn’t an Isekai Rulebook, but there should be for me, damn it!   
  
“I uh, read ahead,” I stammered, desperately fishing for some kind of excuse. “I’ve always been fascinated by history.”   
  
I doubt that Byleth actually bought my bullshit story or not, but I couldn’t tell either way. Now that we were out in the field, Byleth had slipped back into her serious “commander” persona. Compared to her “teacher” persona, Byleth was not all sunshine and smiles, acting with the decor and grace of a military strategist. It wasn’t quite the emotionless hunk of wood that she was supposed to be at this point in the story, but it was teetering towards that direction.   
  
“Well, regardless,” Catherine continued, her face now more dour. “Alistair is spot on. That was when the now former king of Fargehus was… killed by the people of Duscur. It happened about four years ago.”   
  
Images flashed in my head of a roaring fire, the screams of the helpless and a single boy, clutching onto his father’s armored hand and begging him to wake up, doomed to be plagued by images and ghosts of the loved ones he lost.   
  
“Well, Lord Lonato’s son, Christophe, was accused of being involved in that whole awful affair. As a result, he was executed by the Church.”   
  
It was odd, even with my knowledge of Fodlan and its politics, I couldn’t help but shudder at how… casually Catherine spoke of the Church exercising the right to determine the right to execute criminals, especially considering how close she and Christophe were during their time at the Academy. It was also a point from the game that I wasn’t entirely clear on.    
  
“Hold on a second,” I interjected. “The Church executes criminals on their own? Pardon my saying, but in this case, wouldn’t Christophe be handed over to the Kingdom for judgement and not the Church?”   
  
Catherine raised her eyebrow questioningly. “You’re up to date with Kingdom politics, but you don’t know how the Church handles criminals?” I could just feel Byleth’s and Hubert’s collective gaze pouring into my soul, with Edelgard following suit. Just shut up, Alistair, shut your whore mouth for a second and listen, maybe then you can keep your fucking tongue from being sliced off.   
  
Odd social faux paux aside, Catherine continued her explanation. “Well, you have to understand, Alistair, the Kingdom was in complete turmoil. Without King Lambert, the political situation in the capital was like a powder keg. In fact, it was already uneasy with King Lambert’s push for political reform within the Kingdom. And speaking from the Church’s perspective on the matter, we simply passed judgement according to our doctrine in place of the Kingdom. The Church’s relationship with the Kingdom is complex on it’s own, but the best way to summarize is that considering the political system within the Kingdom was on the verge of complex, it fell onto us to help keep the peace.”   
  
Ah… that’s right. The Church was more or less one of the primary reasons why the Kingdom was able to fully secede from the Empire to begin with. Can’t believe I managed to forget that part of history.   
  
“Ah yes, quite the able historian you shall one day make, Cole~”   
  
Shut your cake hole, Sothis. You’re enjoying my squirming, I just know it.   
  
“Whatever the truth behind that incident might be, Lord Lonato has harbored a deep-seated resentment against the Church ever since,” Catherine continued. “Well… to be more specific, his grudge isn’t only against the Church. It’s… also against the one who turned Christophe over to them.”   
  
“R-Report!”   
  
All of us quickly turned to face a quickly approaching scout, his face soaked with sweat.    
  
“T-The enemy has used the fog to slip past our perimeter! Their numbers are far greater than we anticipated!”    
  
The atmosphere had changed entirely. Edelgard was already ordering the rest of the Eagles to battle stations, Hubert was at her side as always, and Byleth? Byleth gave me one good solid look. A look at that practically screamed “We’ll be discussing this later”. I felt like a kid who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and mom was fucking pissed.   
  
But amidst all the chaos, there was one person who looked frozen in time.   
  
“Ashe?” I called out to him, approaching the Blue Lion cautiously. “Are you okay?”   
  
Ashe didn’t respond for a minute before he finally took notice of me. “R-Right! My apologies, Alistair. I’ll go see to my preparations.” He moved to exit from the scene, but I stopped him, giving him a concerned look.    
  
“Ashe, you don’t need to lie to me. I know you’re dying inside.”   
  
Ashe froze before nodding slowly, the pained expression soon returning.    
  
“It’s…” he began, whimpering slightly. “It’s not just Lonato. I’ve known many of these people for years, Alistair. They’ve all shown me and my siblings such kindness, despite our tough upbringing. And now I have to fight them, with my own hands.”   
  
Being sent off to kill family and friends alike. Ashe really didn’t have it easy, did he? All he could do was pray that a little bit of his soul was left remaining by the time all was said and done.   
  
_ Made me wonder how much of my soul would be left when this was over. _ _  
_ _  
_ “Ashe,” I began. “I won’t bother saying stuff like ‘I know how you feel’, because that’s a lie. There’s no way for me to know what you’re going through exactly. But you’re not in this alone. Knights and Catherine aside, we in the Black Eagles still have your back. Doesn’t matter if we're in different houses or come from different cultures, you’re our friend. We’re not just gonna abandon you, understand?”   
  
It looked like Ashe wanted to say something, anything, but he just couldn’t find the words. So he settled for a silent nod. Probably would’ve sounded better if it came from Dimitri or even Edelgard, but I had to say something.    
  
“Alistair, Ashe! Hurry up, already!” I heard Catherine call out to us. Right, duty calls and all that.    
  
“Let’s do this, Ashe,” I say, only to be met with a deep sigh.    
  
Well... I tried, at least.   


* * *

It was a struggle not to trip over my own boots in this fog. We had torches, sure, but they only extended our field of vision by so much. On top of that, they were dead indicators of our position. That said, it didn’t seem to matter all that much, since by the time we had arrived at the front lines, the sounds of battle could already be heard. This was an entirely different ballpark from the bandits...    
  
“That smell…” Edelgard’s face notably scrunched up in disgust. “It’s fresh blood. It would seem the battle has already begun.”   
  
“Everyone!” Byleth yelled. “Do not rush ahead, stay together! Wait for the enemy to approach you!”    
  
No one was about to question our professor on this matter; charging in a fog of war was just plain suicide. My biggest fear right now was keeping track of battlefield casualties, primarily in our own house. With our vision obscured, it’d be nightmarish to keep track who gets hurt and when I needed to use the Divine Pulse. Which meant clearing the fog was our primary concern.    
  
“This mist… I recognize this spell...” Hubert commented. “Hold a moment, everyone! This fog is the result of dark magic!”    
  
“Magic?” Edelgard questioned. “Then, does this mean someone is manipulating the fog, Hubert?”   
  
Hubert curtly nodded. “Indeed, your Highness. The specifics of this spell require that the user remain stationary in order to maintain the mist. In addition, in order to cover the entire battlefield’s radius, the user must be hiding somewhere within the center of the battlefield.”   
  
Smart cookie, aren’t we Hubert? Then again, he was the primary dark magic specialist of the game, it made sense for him to be knowledgeable in this area of expertise.   
  
“But how are we to be finding the mage if our vision is obstructed? There is also the mattering of moving across such a chaotic field of battle,” Petra said, busily scanning through the mist to see if any militia or Gaspard troops were approaching.   
  
“I… I might have an idea on where the mist’s center point might be.”   
  
All eyes were soon on Ashe as he cautiously stepped forward, his bow in one hand with an arrow in the other. His face still looked smeared slightly with tears, but he was considerably more calm now.   
  
“I’m more than familiar with this area, so I’m rather accustomed to traversing through it, even with this fog,” he said. “The land is mostly flat, with very little in the way of hiding spots. All save for one. There’s a treeline just forward of here. If the mage is hiding anywhere, it would be there.”   
  
“So… in the center and in a treeline,” I commented. “That means going right into the fray, where the fighting’s most thick. That seems pretty risky, Ashe. Got any alternatives?”   
  
“I certainly have one,” Catherine stepped forward, gripping onto the hilt of Thunderbrand like it was her first born child. “Me and my men will charge forward, drawing most of the enemies to our position. That should give you all a window of opportunity to charge through and clear this mist.”    
  
Wait, so Catherine’s plan was to just charge forward like a berserker? That’s her plan? Pretty sure that's what she did in the game, but this wasn’t a numbers game anymore. Anything could happen in a battlefield, and Catherine dying this early would be pretty damn bad. Plus, if she did die, what would happen to Thunderbrand? Without Catherine, it had a much greater chance of falling into Agarthan hands, as well as Edelgard’s. The less firepower they all had, the better.   
  
“Are you… sure about this, Ms. Catherine?” Linhardt yawned, voicing my concerns for me. “I won’t exactly be able to heal you if we split up like this.”   
  
Catherine let out a hearty chuckle. “Come now, who do you think I am? These clowns aren’t any match for my steel!” She stepped forward, flanked by two Church soldiers before settling into a battle stance. “By your leave, Professor Eisner.”   
  
Byleth gave a nod, drawing her own sword and pointing forward, right into the heart of the mist.    
  
“Forward, Black Eagles! Advance slowly, allow the enemy to come to you and show them no quarter!”   
  
Advancing as a group certainly wasn’t easy, not in this fog. It was a challenge to keep an eye out for enemy units while also making sure not to trip on any rocks or, Sothis forbid, any bodies. Of which there were plenty. We could hear the sounds of battle all around us, primarily those belonging to Catherine as her entourage did their part in drawing the enemy toward her, and did it with gusto. The screams of the enemy were telling, some shouting to run for the hills, others simply screaming their last as Thunderbrand severed their life from their body. Of course, in the process of our advance, some of the troops came across us, clearly caught off guard by our numbers. Up close, their appearance was more than visible and… oh my god.   
  
To say that the militia were ragtag would be a gross understatement. Unlike in the game, where the militia units at least looked like passable soldiers, here their “armor” consisted primarily of layers of whatever rags they could muster up, their weapons either of swords whose blades had more rust than iron or farming tools, such as sickles and pitchforks. But despite their appearance, they looked no less determined to protect their liege.    
  
“Lord Lonato does not deserve such sadness or misery!” one of them proclaimed, waving his pitchfork around threateningly. “Now it’s your turn to suffer!”   
  
Ashe gritted his teeth, clenching his fist tightly. “Why Lonato…?! Why drag so many others into this?!” The normally kind-hearted archer finally took a step forward, his face laced with determination and anger. “That is ENOUGH!”   
  
The militia stopped dead in their tracks, their posture dropping slightly as soon as they saw Ashe.    
  
“Ashe?” the one with the sword asked in an incredulous tone. “W-What in Fodlan’s name are you doing?”   
  
“That’s my line!” Ashe bit back. “Why are you all doing this?! Why is Lonato-?!”   
  
“Enough!” A pitchfork nearly embedded itself into Ashe’s skull as he retreated, taking cover behind Ferdinand. “Do you think we’re just going to sit back while you kill our lord?! While you slaughter your own, Ashe?! There shall be no mercy, not even for you, Ashe!”   
  
“So be it.”   
  
Byleth had clearly had enough of this exchange, her sword brutally finding a home within the man’s chest. The other militia member regained his senses long enough to attempt attacking again, but was simply met with a swift kick from Byleth as she delivered a heavy horizontal slash across the man’s chest.    
  
“L-Lord… Lonato…”   
  
Byleth ignored the dying man’s gurgles and turned to me, and the image I saw would forever be embedded into my mind. The emotion that Byleth previously shown back at the academy was nowhere to be found as she looked back into my eyes, her face smeared with blood, her eyes almost empty and lifeless as she looked at me not unlike how a predator analyzes their prey before pouncing. The mist did not help this image at all, and for just the briefest of moments, I thought I would die right then and there. This was a true, legitimate fear I was feeling.   
  
I wasn’t looking at Byleth Eisner. I was looking right into the eyes of the Ashen Demon.    
  
“Keep moving, everyone.”    
  
Not a peep was made in opposition to her order, not from anyone.    
  
Eventually, rows of trees came into view, along with yet even thicker fog. Which meant we were right on the money when it came to the mist mage. All of us knelt down into the bush, attempting to see if we could spot the mage this close. An outline could be made out, heavily robbed by the looks of them. Yup, that’s our mist maker, no two shakes about it.    
  
“And there we are,” Hubert said in a hushed tone. “And it would seem like our adversary is none the wiser to our presence.”   
  
“Then it’s time.” Edelgard looked to me and Petra with a nod. “Petra, Alistair, rush him and give our enemy no time to react.”   
  
Me and Petra nodded wordlessly as the two of us burst from the trees, drawing our blades and startling the helpless mage. His robes were white, and covering his face was a plague doctor mask of sorts, marks of the Western sect of the Church if I recall correctly.   
  
“W-What in the-?!”   
  
Petra reached him first, stabbing him in the arm as to disrupt the spell, allowing me to skewer the mage through his heart with my blade in one clean motion. The deed was done.   
  
“Well done, both of you,” Byleth congratulated us.    
  
Sure enough, the haze that had plagued the battlefield slowly began to clear up, faint specks of sunlight beginning to peer down through the leaves and branches. Visibility shouldn’t be a problem now.   
  
“An excellent deduction on your part, Hubert,” Edelgard smiled at her loyal retainer. “Thanks to you, this battle should proceed much smoother from here on out.”   
  
Hubert gave a small bow, smiling like a dog being praised by its master. “You honor me, Lady Edelgard.”    
  
“Now then…” Byleth stepped forward, her head sticking out of the bush. “The next task will be meeting up and reinforcing Catherine and her troops. Eagles, forward!”   
  
We all made our way out of the brush and onto what I remember to be the western area of the map. And… holy shit. In some ways, the fog was more of a blessing than I realized.    
  
Bodies were strewn across the field haphazardly, mostly militia though a couple of Church soldiers could be seen among the carnage. It was a massacre for the militia. Just like… just like…   
  
**_“MOTHERRRRR!!!”_ **   
  
Fucking… red hot pain was practically  _ searing _ through my body. Make it stop.    
  
Make it stop, make it stop, stop, stop, stop!   
  
**STOP.**   
  
“-stair?! What’s wrong?! Are you okay?!”   
  
I was only faintly aware of someone shaking my shoulders before they ceased, replaced by someone else’s more gentle touch.   
  
“I highly doubt that shaking him about is going to do anyone any good. Now, if you could please keep him straight, Dorothea?”   
  
Another pair of hands clenched onto my arms tightly, securing me in place as to prevent me from shaking about. A moment later, a calming aura flooded my senses, the overwhelming pain residing back into nonexistence. My senses slowly came back to me, and I just realized that the rest of the Eagles were looking at me with worried glances, sans Hubert, whose facial expression was entirely unreadable.   
  
“Alistair…?” Bernadetta worriedly asked. “Are… you okay?”   
  
I took a moment to find my words, a task that wasn’t exactly easy given how parched my throat was. My stamina felt non-existent and my head was ringing like an alarm clock.    
  
“Never better.” I was about as great at lying as I was with a sword. Which was, to say, middling at best.    
  
“I hardly call breaking into a frenzied sweat an example of perfect health, Alistair,” Linhardt deadpanned as he finished the healing process. “Are you sure you aren’t ill?”   
  
“Alistair,” Edelgard cut in, a look of concern etched on her face. “If you are unwell, then please retreat. It would not do anyone well to see you die like this.”   
  
Retreat? No way, not happening. I couldn’t just turn tail and run away now. Anything could happen on the battlefield, and if I wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be able to Pulse and fix it. Besides, who knows what would happen if someone like Edelgard or Byleth slipped and died? Complete and utter chaos.    
  
So I picked myself up, held my head high and took a deep breath. I was fine, I was going to be fine, everything was going to be fine.   
  
“Edelgard, I promise you, I am fine. I’m not feeling sick, I promise.”   
  
No one looked entirely convinced, not even Caspar. But Edelgard didn’t look to want to argue the point further. She simply let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.   
  
“Very well, Alistair. Charge if you must. But afterwards, I insist that Linhardt and our other medics take a closer examination of you. Simply having some sort of episode like that on the battlefield will prove highly detrimental.”   
  
Fair enough, I suppose. I gave Edelgard and Linhardt an understanding nod. With that done, we could return our attention to the battle proper. With the fog cleared, moving across the frontlines was much less of a hassle, allowing us to properly deal with our enemies. More militiamen appeared, and more fell before us.   
  
“Lord Lonato… please don’t die…”    
  
Unlike the bandits, these men weren’t even properly trained. They barely put up a fight. They were akin to pawns in a chess game, and it looked as if Lonato was disposing them as such. Whatever sympathy I might have had for him regarding Christophe was now accelerating out the window at mach seven with each militaman slain.    
  
“The nobles are the ones who start these wars,” Dorothea muttered, mirroring my thoughts to a T. “Yet it’s the commoners who are the first to suffer.”

It didn’t take long for Lonato to finally come into view. Unlike the game, where he was a mounted unit, Lonato was without a horse here. But also unlike the game, Lonato’s armor looked a touch more personal, namely with his breastplate bearing the symbol of what I could only assume to be House Gaspard. And despite his apparent age, the man looked strong, far stronger than I ever would have assumed he’d ever be.   
  
“What is this?” Lonato asked in an incredulous tone. Even from a bit of a distance, the man’s voice was quite booming, unfitting for a man who looked to be in his very late 50’s. “Rather than send me the woman who took my son from me, that vile witch sends children to fight in her stead?!”    
  
Seems like he was really looking forward to killing Catherine, who didn’t seem to be anywhere near us. Was she handling the rest of the militia? Or maybe… No, focus Alistair, focus on what was in front of you right now.   
  
“Your fight is with us, Sir Lonato!” Edelgard proclaimed. “The Black Eagles shall be your opponents today!”   
  
“So…” Lonato growled in a mocking tone. “The heir apparent to a broken empire thinks to be an equal to one who stands with the true justice of the Goddess? So be it!”   
  
“Justice…?”    
  
Lonato’s eyes widened in shock as one student in particular stepped forward, his hands trembling and his eyes threatening to water as one of his own sons stepped forward with a small, but quickly building fury.   
  
“Ashe…”   
  
Ashe didn’t relent however. He refused to relent, even against his own stepfather. “For years, I have always thought you to be the pinnacle of what a knight should be, Lonato. Even though we may not be bound by blood, I still proudly called you my father, and Christophe my brother! So why…? Why do I see so many lives broken, why do I see you ordering these people to die in this pointless conflict?!”   
  
Lonato had no words to offer Ashe, simply taking the anger quietly. I could feel like he wanted to say something, anything, but simply didn’t. He knew that Ashe was hitting the nail on the head, he knew how much of a hypocrite he was for preaching about justice when sending his own people to die fighting against a considerably larger force than them.    
  
But it wasn’t enough to dissuade the old lion from the path before him, glaring at even his own son.   
  
“I’m sorry, Ashe. But I cannot turn back at this juncture. Rhea is an infidel who has deceived the people and descreated the name of the Goddess! If you continue to stand in my way, I shall be forced to put you to the blade as well!”   
  
Ashe looked utterly stunned, even dropping his bow in shock as his own stepfather threatened up, even to the point of brandishing his lance in Ashe’s direction.    
  
“In that case…” Ashe shakely mumbled, crouching down and picking up a sword from a fallen soldier. “I… I will stop you!”   
  
Lonato looked into Ashe’s eyes and sighed. “So be it. Men, charge!” As if on command, several more armored individuals burst from behind Lonato, all letting out a mighty cry as they charged forward.   
  
“Damn it!” Edelgard cursed. “So he was merely keeping his remaining knights in reserve while using the militia to wear us down!”    
  
The battlefield had descended into pure chaos once again. Ferdinand and Caspar fought to keep our ranged units safe, Bernadetta in particular threatening to break under the pressure. I was almost impossible to keep track of everything, but luckily I spotted Ashe and… found him just in time to watch Lonato run him through with his lance.   
  
**CRASH!**   
  
I was lucky enough to have saved both of my Divine Pulses for the fight, but what the hell was I going to do now? Edelgard and Byleth were busy with their own fights, Ferdinand and Caspar had their hands full trying to keep Bernadetta, Linhardt and Dorothea alive, and I had no idea where Petra and Hubert were.   
  
So… guess it was up to me to save Ashe.   
  
Okay, so let’s try to plan things out here. Lonato was a seasoned knight with decades of experience under his belt. In a one on one fight, I was bound to lose. So if I couldn’t take him in a fair fight, why not make it an unfair fight? I’d just have to reinforce Ashe and work with him to make sure he didn’t end up a Gaspard kabob. I’m sure he wanted to do this on his own, but there was no way Ashe was gonna be able to do it on his own.    
  
So, rewind time. Back to Lonato ordering his men to charge and the start of the battle. Only this time, I made sure to keep my eyes on Ashe as he blindly charged forward towards Lonato. I was on his tail, narrowly dodging the axe of one of Lonato’s knights before cutting him down in one slash. I swear I could have felt some kind of numbness in my back, but I ignored it and pushed forward.    
  
Ashe fruitlessly did his best to break Lonato’s guard, but to no avail. His swings were wild, frenzied, but also unfocused and predictable. Against Lonato, Ashe was more of a nuisance than an actual threat. But that just left Lonato open for me to hurriedly close the gap between us.    
  
But fate can be a funny gal sometimes. Lonato tossed Ashe aside like it was nothing, and by all chance, turned to face me. Christ on a bike, nothing I do seems to go right, does it?   
  
“So,” he began. “Yet another hapless Imperial mutt has come to bare his fangs at me.”    
  
I lowered my sword into a defensive stance, keeping my distance as I tried to think of a plan of attack. “Better be careful, even the lowest of all mutts can be dangerous when cornered.”   
  
Lonato shook his head, gesturing toward me. “If you are a mere dog, then I am a lion, boy. You’re still weak, untested. You are not long for the battlefield.”   
  
“I might be a dog,” I growled. “But not even I would stoop as low as to force my people to fight with the clothes on their backs-”   
  
“You know  **NOTHING!** ” Lonato’s roar actually threw me back some. He came barreling toward me with the full weight of his spear crashing against my blade. “Do you know what it is like to watch your own flesh and blood be condemned to execution, to watch as his lifeless head rolls from the gallows?!” Each attack was fully committed, packed to the brim with the rage that could only come from a loving father. Guess that whole “unfair fight” plan was out of the question, huh?   
  
I was knocked onto my back with a heavy kick to the stomach, coughing as I looked up to see Lonato stare down at me, his lance poised to deliver the final blow. This was bad… needed my sword, needed to Pulse, needed anything right now!    
  
“I pity you, child,” Lonato said, his eyes emotionless and his spear inches away from my neck. “But know that beyond your death, the lies that hold this land in a deadlock shall soon be severed completely-”    
  
Lonato stopped, his breath hitching as he let out a pained gasp. He looked downwards only to find a blade ran through his stomach from behind, perfectly passing through a weakpoint in his armor.   
  
“W-Where…?” he wheezed, slowly turning to find who had done it. And of course, who else would be there holding the blade with trembling hands, but Ashe?    
  
“A-Ashe…”    
  
With that, the proud lion of Gaspard fell onto the battlefield right in front of me, motionless. The battle was won, but the atmosphere was anything but victorious, least of all for the people of Gaspard.    
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Battle scenes remain the ultimate fear of my existence, but hopefully this chapter was at least serviceable. 
> 
> We've got a Discord! Come on in and say hi, we don't bite. https://discord.gg/9XG3U7a


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